Controlled Chaos
by blueink3
Summary: After the truth comes out, Quinn truly has no place to go… But like they’ve said, Will Schuester is a good man. Can he become the family she needs? Will/Emma/Quinn/Puck/Finn/Rachel
1. A New Life

**After the truth comes out, Quinn truly has no place to go…. But like they've said, Will Schuester is a good man.**

Willingly leaving the Hudson household was even worse than getting kicked out of her own. While Quinn Fabray kept her head held high as she packed her things in her pristine bedroom, she could only hang it in shame as she left Finn's. Mrs. Hudson never asked her to leave, she was too nice for that. Finn didn't have the heart either. No, Quinn left because she just couldn't stand herself anymore, couldn't stand what she had done to so many people in her life.

Mrs. Hudson tried to get her to stay - after all, where else could she go? - but Quinn politely declined and only accepted the proffered leftovers when Mrs. Hudson practically threatened to duct tape them to her person. Finn remained quiet, standing at the foot of the stairs. Quinn assumed he only looked up from the carpet after the door clicked safely shut behind her.

That was how she ended up sitting on the steps of McKinley High with nothing but a duffle bag and a tupperware of meatloaf. She walked the short distance to the school parking lot, again declining a ride from Mrs. Hudson. Quinn fiddled with the silver cross hanging around her neck and looked down at her increasingly swollen ankles. Normally, the thought of swollen body parts would have her on a liquid diet immediately, but she didn't care.

The concrete steps were cold and she pulled her coat tighter around her. It wouldn't fit for much longer. The parka was already snug around her midsection and she still had months to go. It wasn't the thought of having no home or no food or no bed that finally brought her to tears. It was the stupid coat. She kept ricocheting between the idea of keeping the baby and giving it up for adoption, but how could she raise a child when she can't even clothe herself? The temperature continued to drop and she felt a raindrop hit her head. _Figures._

"Quinn?"

_Shit._ Quinn looked up to find Mr. Schuester standing across the parking lot, next to his beat-up car. She assumed he came out of one of the side entrances. He wandered over, bag slung over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Mr. Schue. I didn't think anyone would be here. It's Sunday."

"Yes, I'm aware." He cocked his head sideways, studying her. He had a way of doing that that completely unnerved her. She saw his eyes dart to the bag and the tupperware and she knew there was no way she'd be able to lie herself out of this one. He had been there when her world came crashing down around her. He had comforted Finn even though he was broken himself. She didn't know how he could even look at her let alone speak to her. But instead of turning and shunning her like the rest of Lima had done (and he would be completely in his right to do so), he surprised her once again. Dropping his bag, he took a seat beside her.

"I was picking up the things I stowed here when I left my wife." He sighed and turned his head toward her. "Your turn."

She raised her eyebrows at his blunt honesty and tugged at her cross again. If he could do it, so could she, right? "I had no where else to go."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod his head. He stood and held out his hand. "Come on."

She stared at the hand and flicked her eyes up to his. "What are you doing, Mr. Schuester?"

"Well it won't be much, but I can at least offer a bed and something better than cold leftovers." She continued to stare at his outstretched hand. "Come on, Quinn. It's gonna start raining in a minute. And either you're coming with me, or we're both going to get incredibly wet."

She swallowed hard and took his hand. He grabbed her bag and they made their way quietly to his car. She noticed that he didn't take the car out of "park" until her seatbelt clicked and he pointed the vent to blow the heat on her. She had been paying more attention to the little things that Mr. Schuester did ever since she agreed to give her baby to his wife. Terri Schuester was certifiable, Quinn knew that. But Mr. Schuester balanced her out. He was more stable, more cautious. While his plans sometimes backfired, he always had his kids' best intentions at heart. She admired that.

What sealed the deal for her was when she passed by the teacher's lounge and saw that Mrs. Collins was back from maternity leave. She was gabbing away to anyone who would listen but her baby was in the arms of Will Schuester. Quinn couldn't adequately describe the way he looked at that baby but she was sure that if a rocket had gone off in that lounge, Mr. Schuester would not have noticed. She put her hand to her chest to stifle the pain that image caused. Because of her (and his wife), he wouldn't get to look at his baby like that.

It was a short drive to his apartment, but Quinn felt like it had taken a lifetime. Will parked in the driveway and she waited awkwardly beside the car as he grabbed both of their bags out of the backseat. He gave her a tight smile and led the way to the front door. As he slipped the key into the lock, he turned gave her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry, it's a bit of a mess. Terri, my wife… ex, wasn't exactly careful when she moved her things out."

Quinn didn't know what to say to that, so she just nodded. He pushed the door open and dropped his keys on the side table. He continued on to the living room and put her bag down. Quinn hovered in the doorway, still unsure as to how she should act in Mr. Schue's presence outside of the classroom. In his home. The circumstances were beyond surreal.

Will returned to the hallway and gestured to her coat. She slipped it off and handed it to him, uttering a small, "Thank you." He hung it in the hall closet as she ventured further into the apartment. He was right – Terri wasn't exactly careful when she left. Some picture frames were overturned, and a broken vase still littered the coffee table.

"I haven't spent much time here in the past few days," he offered as a way of explanation.

Quinn righted a crooked painting hanging on the wall. "No problem, Mr. Schue." She looked at his shoes, still unable to meet his eyes for more than a fleeting glance. "Honestly, if it hadn't been for you, I probably would have spent the night under the glee room window."

He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Look, I know I'm just your teacher, but I don't ever want you guys to feel like you have no where to go. Got it?"

Her throat got unusually tight all of a sudden and she could only offer up a nod and a choked, "Got it."

He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. She finally looked up and noticed just how much he had aged in a few days time. The lines seemed deeper, the circles under his eyes darker. Before she could continue to study him, he turned and moved towards the kitchen. "What would you like to eat? I have pasta and… pasta."

"Pasta's great." She followed him, absentmindedly rubbing her stomach. She was pretty sure she caught him looking, but he turned away before she could be certain.

Will gestured to the living room. "Have a seat, and I'll whip something up. Do you have homework?"

Quinn smiled and couldn't help an eye roll, _Always the teacher._ She pulled her textbook out of the duffle bag and looked around at the small, but cozy space. There were many spots on shelves and tables where picture frames once stood. Most were gone, some were broken, leaving nothing but a dust outline as evidence of their existence. She couldn't help but feel guilty about the hand she had in that. She hesitantly glanced into the bedroom, noticing a queen bed that looked as if it hadn't been slept in. Not feeling comfortable enough to go beyond the doorway, she ventured back into the hall, where the sound of Mr. Schuester whistling a slow, melancholy tune echoed off the walls. The apartment was by no means large, but it was nice. Being familiar with Terri Schuester meant knowing her penchant for Pottery Barn. Her apartment looked like page 26 from the catalogue.

There was one room that Quinn hadn't seen. She knew she shouldn't pry, but curiosity got the best of her and she nudged the door open with her elbow. Flicking the light on, the sight caused an involuntary gasp to slip from her mouth. It was an empty room except for the lone rocking chair that graced the far corner. Without thinking, Quinn gravitated toward it and traced the lines in the carefully carved wood. A small white bunny sat in the large chair. She picked it up and ran the floppy ears through her fingers. Even the tail made a little nose when shaken, like a baby rattle. Collapsing into the chair, Quinn hugged the bunny to her chest and let the tears flow.

She wasn't sure how long she had stayed there, but she vaguely registered Mr. Schuester calling her name. It wasn't until she heard the creak of the door hinge that she knew he had found her.

"Quinn."

She could hear the pain in his voice.

"This was for her?" She finally found the courage to look up. She wished she hadn't. His forehead creased as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

"Yeah, it was for her. We hadn't gotten around to getting a crib yet."

Quinn nodded and looked back down at the bunny in her arms. Her little girl would have been loved here. Of that, Quinn had no doubt.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue. I'm so sorry." She broked down once more, the sobs wracking her body. Will rushed forward and, kneeling in front of her, gathered her into a hug. He rubbed reassuring circles on her back and whispered "It's okay" until her sobs dissolved into hiccups. Quinn pulled away, fully embarrassed, but Will placed a hand on her cheek and smiled, letting her know that it was all right. She was all right, he was all right, they would be all right. Using his thumb as he would on a small child, he wiped her tears away and helped her up.

"Come on. Pasta's getting cold."

Quinn rubbed the back of her hand across her face and grumbled. "I got makeup on your shirt."

He chuckled, "I'll survive."

Things were not nearly as awkward after that, as they sat in the Schuesters' small breakfast nook. Will munched on a piece of garlic bread as Quinn speared penne.

"How is it?"

"Best pasta I've ever had."

Will rolled his eyes. "It's hard to screw up pasta."

Quinn smiled. "You say that now, but wait until you see Finn try to boil water. I'm surprised he didn't burn the house down." Quinn laughed, but the thought of her ex-boyfriend made her fall silent. She pushed the pasta around her plate for a minute before dropping her fork and grabbing her stomach. "Whoa."

"What's wrong?" Will's voice was laced with panic.

"Nothing. Don't worry. The baby seems to like the pasta too."

Will's whole body relaxed as he placed his hand on his chest. "You nearly gave me a heartattack." He paused, and she watched him lean forward slightly his face full of curiosity and awe. "So, she's kicking?"

Quinn laughed, "Like a soccer player."

Will's face broke out into a grin. "Wow."

Quinn tilted her head. Of course, Mr. Schuester wouldn't have felt a baby kick. There was no baby. She bit her lip again, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Wanna feel?"

His eyebrows rose. "Really?"

She held out her hand and he came around the table and put his in hers. She guided it to the spot on her stomach where the baby's foot moved back and forth. He slowly lowered himself to his knees, mouth hanging slightly open.

"She's been doing this for a few weeks." Quinn looked at Mr. Schue's face, but his eyes were transfixed on his hand and her stomach. A single tear slid down his cheek and she fought the urge to wipe it away, like he had done for her. They stayed like that, not saying a word, until the kicking calmed down and he broke out of his trance.

He cleared his throat and slowly stood up. "Thank you. That was… thank you."

She squeezed his hand. "No, thank you, Mr. Schue."

And when Will Schuester told her she could stay as long as she wanted, that marked the day that Quinn Fabray's new life began.

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been one week and four days since she had moved in with Will Schuester, but at the moment, all Quinn Fabray could think of was how so much stuff could come out of such a relatively small person.

She leaned over the porcelain toilet, feeling her stomach muscles squeeze her dry. _Morning sickness should not last this long_. She vaguely registered someone coming in and turning on the sink, but another bout of nausea took over and all thought left her head. She felt him sit next to hear, pull her hair back, and place a cold washcloth against the back of her neck. She dropped her head on her forearms and groaned.

"Go away."

"Why?" His voice was scratchy from lack of use.

"I don't want you to see me like this. You're my teacher."

He laughed. "The teacher that you're living with. Quit arguing."

Even if she had wanted to argue, she couldn't. She gripped the sides of the toilet as she threw up some more. He rubbed circles on her back.

"Make it stop."

"I wish I could."

"I swear I didn't even eat this much last night." She flushed the toilet and leaned back against the door. He handed her a wad of tissues and a glass of water. She took both gratefully. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"No problem. You okay?"

She nodded, slowly registering that she was wearing an oversized flannel top and he was wearing nothing but boxers and a T-shirt. She tugged her shirt further toward her knees. She got over the strangeness of eating breakfast and dinner with Mr. Schue, even sleeping on his pull-out couch, but seeing him in anything less than his sweater and tie still freaked her out a bit.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Quinn, you're not the first kid I've seen throw up. I'm just happy you didn't throw up _on_ me because, trust me, that's happened before."

She grinned as he pulled her up. She swayed a bit and held onto his arms.

"Drink the water. It'll make the wooziness go away."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue."

"Night, Quinn."

They didn't tell anyone of their arrangements, except Miss Pillsbury, or even share rides to school, but when all was said and done, Mr. Schuester was still the one to hold her hair back when she, to put it bluntly, puked her guts out.

XXXXXXXXXX

Two nights later, it wasn't the waves of nausea that woke her up in the early hours of the morning. A noise was coming from somewhere inside the apartment and Quinn stood up to investigate. She followed it to Mr. Schuester's bedroom. Quinn stood on the other side of the door, unsure as to whether or not she should check and make sure he was okay.

Her concern eventually won out and she gently knocked on the door. She heard a muffled "Yeah?" from the other side. She opened the door and saw Mr. Schuester sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands, his body shaking with hardly contained sobs.

"Mr. Schue?" Quinn carefully treaded further into the room. She had never really been comfortable with adults expressing emotion, but he just looked so broken. She sat next to him on the bed and gently placed her palm on his back. She didn't say anything and eventually he stopped shaking.

"Sorry, Quinn. You shouldn't see me like this."

"If you can watch me puke, I can watch you cry."

"Fair enough." He held up something in his hand. Quinn looked closer and saw it was an engagement ring. "I remember the night I gave this to her. It took me forever to pick it out and even longer to scrape together enough money to pay for it." She watched him as he stared at his own wedding ring, which she guessed he had been unable to part with yet. Will continued, "She left these in the drawer of her nightstand. There wasn't even a note."

Quinn rubbed his back in much the same way as he had rubbed hers two night previous.

"It's gonna be okay, Mr. Schue. Sometimes, life throws things at you and it sucks, but it's bound to get better, right?"

She watched as he glanced at her stomach and then up to her face. "Right."

The next day, she saw divorce papers on the dining room table, next to his discarded wedding ring.

XXXXXXXXXXX

School was lonely and depression set in quick and deep. Some days, she locked herself in Miss Pillsbury's office and didn't come out until either school was over or a student with _real_ problems kicked her out. Miss Pillsbury didn't seem to mind the company, as long as Quinn spent the time doing homework and used copious amounts of hand sanitizer.

Finn refused to talk to her and she had no desire to converse with Puck. The rest of the glee kids were polite but never warm. Much to Quinn's surprise, only Rachel attempted any sort of conversation and it was to Rachel that Quinn eventually entrusted her secret. Quinn was sure that when she showed up to glee the next day, whispers would abound about the torrid affair that Quinn Fabray was allegedly having with William Schuester, but no one looked at her twice.

And when Rachel showed up at Will's apartment the next morning to give Quinn a ride to school, Quinn didn't think twice about accepting.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Will usually got home later than Quinn, staying behind to grade papers and arrange music, but one day she entered the apartment, throwing a wave over her shoulder to Rachel, and heard hammering coming from the spare room.

She set down her bag and followed the noise, but as she reached the door, her jaw dropped. A twin bed complete with purple sheets was flush against the back wall, and Will was halfway under the frame of a crib hammering away.

"Mr. Schue?"

"Yeah?" He lifted his head and banged it on the frame. "Ow."

Quinn rushed over and helped him out from under the metal. "Mr. Schue, what are you doing?"

"Well…" He scratched the back of his head. "You're gonna need a crib, aren't you? And how many times have I told you to call me Will outside of school?"

She ignored him and looked around. "This is for me?"

"Of course it's for you. Both of you."

Quinn didn't even notice that she hadn't let go of his hand.

"Rachel picked out your sheets, so blame her if you don't like them. And I'm sorry about the twin bed. It was all that would fit in the room with the crib and everything else. I didn't get baby sheets. I thought that might be something you'd want to do."

"It's perfect."

She looked around and saw a box that contained parts for a changing table with drawers for diapers and onesies.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue." She threw her arms around his neck.

"Will."

"Okay, Mr. Schue."

Quinn spent the rest of the night handing Will screws and tools and he put her baby's furniture together.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Which one? Blue or green?"

Will stood in the middle of the living room and held up ties against his shirt as Quinn sat on the couch, a bowl of popcorn balancing on her belly.

"Mmmm, blue if you wear the white shirt, green if you wear the blue shirt. What's the occasion?"

"I have a date."

Quinn nearly choked on her popcorn. "Ooooooh, with whom?"

Will pointed to the bowl on her stomach. "You're getting good at that."

"Don't change the subject."

He disappeared into his bedroom.

Quinn continued in a sing-song voice, "You can give me three guesses, but I'll only need one."

Will emerged wearing the blue shirt and looping the green tie around his neck.

"I'll be back around 10."

"Oh don't rush back on my account."

Will rolled his eyes. "You have my cell?"

"Yes, Mr. Schue. I have three months to go, I'm not gonna pop."

"Bite your tongue. You're going to have me panicking all throughout dinner."

Quinn sighed. "I'll be fine." They went through this routine every time Will had somewhere to go. At least at school, they were in the same building should something happen. To some it might feel suffocating, but Quinn secretly relished these little exchanges. It reminded her that even when her real parents didn't care about her, someone out there did.

"How do I look?" Will shrugged his jacket on and smoothed his tie against his shirt.

"Dashing."

"I'll call you later." He grabbed his keys from the table.

"You don't have to do that!" she yelled from the couch.

"Yes I do."

"Tell Miss Pillsbury I said hello!"

"Goodnight, Quinn!" He shut the door.

Sure enough, at 8:30 the phone rang.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

She had never really examined the interior of his office before. But as she sat in the chair across from his desk, she took in the details: the desk calendar filled with his messy handwriting, the poster of some mountain in South America, the stack of CDs in the corner, and the books on his shelf.

"Quinn, what's up? Is everything all right?"

Will came in and placed the Spanish books on his desk.

"I'm fine. I had a free period and I didn't want to suffer the whispers in study hall."

Will's tone immediately changed, "What's happening in study hall?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just… getting bigger everyday and people somehow manage to come up with a new fat joke or "fallen nun" joke every time I pass by."

"I want names."

She couldn't help but smile. "That's awfully nice of you, Mr. Schue, but I didn't come here so you could slap half the student population with detentions."

He tilted his head, "Oh?"

"I forgot I had a doctor's appointment today at 3:00. I… don't really want to alone."

"You want me to come?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

"I'd love to."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue."

"Will."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved him off. "Later, Mr. Schue."

"Quinn? I still want names."

XXXXXXXXXX

The doctor's office wasn't nearly as frightening as the first time she came, but it was still pretty damn scary. He had been with her that time as well.

The closer she got to her due date, the more the posters on the wall freaked her out. Will flipped through a magazine next to her, reading an article on how to baby proof a house.

"Wow, I didn't even know a baby's finger could fit in something that small."

Quinn would've laughed if she hadn't felt like throwing up.

"Fabray?"

Quinn jumped at the sound of her name and glanced at Will next to her.

"Showtime." He smiled and helped her up.

Will waited patiently outside the room until Quinn put on the hospital gown. When she was situated on the examination table, she called for him to come in. She kept the blanket firmly secured around her lower half as he wandered around the room. She watched him examine a plastic replica of a baby in utero. He went to touch it and accidentally knocked the baby out.

"Oh, shit." He picked the baby up right as the doctor came in.

"Hello, Quinn. How are you today?"

"Fine, thanks."

The doctor, a kindly woman, turned to face Will. "And you are?"

"Will Schuester." He shook her hand.

"You're not the baby's father, correct?"

"No, definitely not. I'm her…" Will looked at Quinn. "Guardian. I'm her guardian."

"Well, let's get started then."

Quinn's eyes were glassy as she looked at Will. The "guardian" comment was unexpected and, given that lately everything was setting her off emotionally, she couldn't keep her lower lip from trembling. Yesterday, she cried because there were no more orange m&m's in the bag. She swallowed, willing herself to stay calm for at least another five minutes.

The doctor lifted her gown exposing her belly and squirted the gel. Quinn automatically reached out for Will's hand, which he grasped tightly in response. The doctor placed the sensor on her stomach and the baby was heard before she was seen. The pitter patter of her rapid heartbeat filled the room and she made her fuzzy appearance on the sonogram screen.

"She's so big!" Quinn stared at the screen, clearly making out her facial features and tiny fingers curled into a fist against her chest.

"Look at her, Will." Quinn grasped his hand tighter. "Look at my baby."

Will could only nod as he stared at the screen. He was so enraptured that he didn't even notice Quinn called him by his first name. "She's beautiful." He rested his chin on Quinn's head.

"Everything looks good. She's got a healthy heartbeat, healthy weight, so far." The doctor looked up at them. "Have you given any more thought to adoption?"

Quinn's bubble of warm, fuzzy feelings was popped instantly.

Will must have felt the change in the room because he looked down at Quinn and back at the doctor. "Can we have a minute?"

"Of course." The doctor wiped the gel from Quinn's stomach and left the room.

Quinn fiddled with the hem of her gown, until the door shut with a snap. "I want to keep her, Mr. Schue."

"I know." He pulled the chair next to the bed and sat down.

"But…"

"But?"

"I can't do this alone."

"You're not alone."

"Finn won't look at me. Puck doesn't know to take care of himself let alone a baby. And you? You have to start your own family. You don't need to pick up the pieces of mine."

Will sighed and took her hand again. "Look at me." She continued to stare at the faded hospital gown. "Quinn, look at me." She did. "Finn will come around. Even though that baby isn't his, he still fell in love with her. And Puck can learn if you let him. He can. And as for me? Well you're a part of my family whether you like it or not. So tough. I'll pick up whatever pieces you throw at me." He paused and took a deep breath before what he said next. "And you have to remember, Finn isn't the only one who fell in love with that baby."

Quinn's promise to stay calm for five minutes lasted six before her walls came crashing down. Will sat on the edge of the examination table and gathered her in his arms.

"We're gonna be just fine." He kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

There was a soft knock on the door and the doctor returned with some forms and the new sonogram DVD.

"I don't need those," Quinn said, gesturing to the forms. "The baby's not up for adoption."

XXXXXXXXXX

Three days later, there was a knock at the door. Quinn came out of her bedroom to answer it, but Will beat her to it. She listened as he opened the door, but when she heard him say, "Finn?" she backed farther into the bedroom instead.

"Come on in."

"No, no." Finn was quick to decline. "I just came to drop something off."

"Oh?"

"When Quinn left, she left this at my house. I still… want her to have it. It was a gift."

"You sure you don't want to give it to her yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Okay. I'll tell her you came by."

"How is she?"

"She's great, Finn." She heard Will pause. "But you should ask her that yourself sometime."

"Right. Thanks, Mr. Schue."

"See you around, Finn."

Quinn heard the door close and the footsteps grow louder. Will rounded the corner and almost ran right into her.

"Eavesdropper."

"Guilty."

"So it seems someone else knows you're staying here."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Please, whatever Rachel knows, Finn knows."

"Well, Finn wanted you to have this back." Will placed a tattered baby blanket in her hand.

Quinn's mouth dropped open. Maybe Will was right. Maybe Finn would come around. That night, she placed the blanket in its rightful place, in the crib next to the stuffed bunny.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I should have done this weeks ago." Quinn meandered through the baby department at Sheets N'Things, making mental checks of patterns she liked and vetoing many things she didn't. They really were leaving this to the last minute, but Quinn wanted Will to go with her, but he always had something to do. She finally cornered him on a Saturday when she knew he had nothing going on but even then, he was looking almost wildly around the store and sweating profusely.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine. Is it hot in here? I think it's hot."

"I'm fine." She eyed him as she walked toward a pink display. "How about this one?" She held up a blanket.

"It's nice."

She dropped the blanket in frustration. "You said that about the last five."

"What? Oh, sorry."

"Mr. Schue, you are not fine."

"Yes, I am. Now which one were you looking at?"

"This one." She held it up again.

"I like it. No, I mean I really like it," he said, cutting of her tirade. She examined it more closely, tracing the pink pattern with her fingers. "They would go well with the curtains."

Quinn looked at them more closely. "You think?"

When Will didn't respond, she looked up. He was staring straight ahead, looking paler than the sheets she held in her hand.

"Mr. Schue?" She followed his line of sight and gasped. Terri stood at the end of the aisle, staring back. Quinn watched as Will gripped the bedding so hard, his knuckles turned white, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from his ex-wife. "Mr. Schue?" No response. "Will?" He looked at her. "Come on, let's go home." She took his hand and led him out of the aisle and out of the store.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Days passed slowly and her belly got bigger. One Saturday Miss Pillsbury came over and made pancakes. And then she returned on Sunday and made waffles. It became a weekly ritual which both Quinn and Will enjoyed – Quinn for the food and Will for other reasons.

As her due date drew near, Will never ever left his house without his cell phone. Even though cell phones were for all intents and purposes banned from the McKinley campus, Will kept his securely on his hip for whenever Quinn needed him.

He went on midnight ice cream runs for her in nothing but pajamas and snow boots. He didn't mind when he came home one afternoon to find Rachel painting Quinn's toe nails, because, as Quinn told him, "Even though she couldn't see her feet, someone else could." He even attended Lamaze classes with her, which was all sorts of awkward in the beginning, but it eventually became routine. They shared the horror of watching the infamous "baby video" which made them lose their appetites for rest of the evening.

And he protected her whenever she needed protecting. Whether it was from the verbal attacks in study hall (he eventually got his names and happily handed out detentions) or from other means, he was always there. Even when she didn't need him.

There was another knock on the door and Quinn struggled to get up from the couch to answer it.

Will laughed as he passed through towards the door. "Don't bother. I'll get it."

"I feel like a beached whale."

"Be quiet. You look wonderful."

"Liar."

She heard him open the door and utter one word. "Puck."

Quinn gasped. Word spread quickly. First Rachel, then Finn, now Puck.

"Is she here?"

Will remained silent.

"Come on, Mr. Schue, that's my baby in there."

"Stay here."

Will reappeared in the living room and helped Quinn off the couch. "What do you want me to tell him?"

Quinn sighed. "Let him in."

Will looked skeptical but he left and returned with Puck a moment later. "I'll be in the next room." With a significant look at Puck, Will exited toward the kitchen.

Puck stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, staring at the floor. "Hi."

"What do you want, Puck?"

He scuffed his dirty sneaker against the floor. "I honestly don't know. I want a lot of things."

"Like..?" She crossed her arms protectively above her stomach.

"I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was a dick, and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

She scrutinized him. "And is this your way of telling me you're going to change?"

He finally met her eyes. "I'm working on it. I took on another job – pool cleaning's kinda slow in the winter – and I've made some dough. My Mom helped me open a savings account for the baby. And I've been reading those baby books. Finn actually gave them to me. He said he didn't need them."

Quinn looked down and Puck took a step closer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't say that to make you feel bad or anything, but I want you to know that I'm trying. I really am."

Quinn nodded, but couldn't help making comparisons in her mind. Sure, what Puck did was a big deal for Puck, and she was grateful, but compared to what Mr. Schue had become in her life, Puck fell infinitely short.

"I'm happy you're trying, Noah. But if you want to be a part of this baby's life, you're going to have to try a hell of a lot harder. If you want to be her father, then you're going to have to step up. A father is more than just a savings account. You just have to be here. And you haven't been. Mr. Schue is more of a father to this baby than you are."

Puck shoved his fists in his pockets and looked as if he was seriously going to regret what was about to come out of his mouth.

"Are you sleeping with him?"

Quinn distantly heard a crash in the kitchen before she walked up and slapped Puck across the face.

Puck rubbed his cheek. "I'm sorry, I had to ask. You're living with him. What's a guy supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to know me well enough to know that I wouldn't start an affair with a teacher! Just because you sleep with everything that has boobs and breathes, doesn't make you fit to judge others. If you want to be a part of her life, you certainly have a long way to go. Finn at least gave her a blanket. What have you given your daughter?" Quinn turned away from him. "You should go."

Puck left the living room as Quinn sat on the couch. She heard Will leave the kitchen, follow Puck to the door, and say, "If you hurt her again, I swear…"

"I know, Mr. Schue," was Puck's response, before she heard Will close the door in his face.

Will returned to the living room and put his arm around Quinn. She looked at him wryly, though tears spilled down her cheeks, "So, he can learn, huh?"

"Some learn faster than others."

Her face contorted and he hugged her to him as she broke down.

The next day, there was a teddy bear on the step with a pink bow and no card.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The night started out like any other. She fell asleep while reading on the couch, Will woke her up and put her to bed. Beginning at 8pm every night, she could hardly keep her eyes open, but then she'd be wide awake from 4am on. It was not a healthy sleep pattern for a 16 year old. So when she woke up at midnight, wide awake like someone had poked her roughly, she knew something was wrong. She settled back into the pillows and waited. Sure enough, roughly 20 minutes later there came another "poke." She tried to stay calm, to keep herself from hyperventilating, but she knew that this was it and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She paced the bedroom staring at the watch on her wrist. Every twenty minutes became every fifteen, which became twelve, which became ten. When she hit eight around 2am, she decided to wake up Will.

She tiptoed across the living room and knocked on his door. She pushed it open a bit, but gripped the handle when another contraction hit. She grimaced and called out, "Mr. Schue?" He rolled over in bed. Her eyes watered and she continued to breathe through the contraction. She concluded in that moment that Lamaze was bullshit. "Will?"

He sat bolt upright in bed and looked around. Quinn was kneeling on the ground, rubbing away the last remnants of the contraction from her belly. "Oh god, Quinn." He jumped out of bed and kneeled in front of her. "How far apart?"

"Eight minutes or so."

"Come on, we should go." He stood up and started to pull clothes on. "How long have you been awake?"

"Two hours."

Will stopped pulling his jeans over his boxers. "Why didn't you come get me?"

"There was no point. They were too far apart to go to the hospital and I didn't want to wake you up."

"Quinn, I at least could have kept you company." He pulled a hoodie over his T-shirt and helped her off the floor. "Did your water break?"

"Not yet." He grabbed her bag where they kept it next to the front door.

"Let's go."

She gripped his hand as he helped her down the stairs to the car. Another contraction ripped through her body and she gasped, crashing into him. He held her up so she didn't fall to the pavement.

"I've got you, it's okay. Breathe."

She whimpered against the pain and leaned against his chest. "It hurts."

"I know."

When she was stable enough to hold herself up, he helped her into the passenger seat.

"If my water breaks in your car, I'm really, really sorry."

"I don't care Quinn. I'm getting rid of it anyway."

"Why?" She rubbed her hand in soothing circles across her stomach as he pulled out of the drive.

"It's not safe for a car seat." He stared straight ahead as he suppressed the urge to break all sorts of traffic laws, but Quinn stared only at him. She was about to express her gratitude for everything he had done when another contraction took the wind out of her. She gripped the door handle with her right hand and Will's hand with her left. Will worriedly looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"That was not 8 minutes, Quinn! That was a lot closer than 8 minutes!"

She breathed deeply and tried to suppress the urge to scream. "I know," she managed to groan between gritted teeth.

Will pushed on the gas pedal harder.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The hospital was brighter than she remembered it being. Or maybe it was just that she was on sensory overload.

The nurses had wheeled her away from Will's car just as her water broke. They stopped briefly at the front desk and handed Will some forms as the nurses took her into a room and got her into a gown.

When Will joined her and handed her the form to complete, she was surprised that he managed to answer all but a few questions. He even knew she was allergic to Penicillin.

When the doctor came in to check Quinn's progress, she didn't even bother asking if Will wanted to stay for the examination. Will averted his eyes and stayed near Quinn's head. Quinn couldn't help but giggle at the blush that tinted his cheeks.

"Five centimeters."

"What?" both Quinn and Will said at the same time. Quinn's head lifted off the pillow, "That's it? But that's only half! Five is half of ten, I need to be at ten."

The doctor smiled. "I know. Birth is quick, it's labor that's slow. Pace around. Walking helps."

Quinn groaned and flopped her head back on the pillow as the nurses continued strapping the monitors to her.

"Well, come on, let's do like the good doctor said and pace."

Will helped Quinn out of bed, mindful of the wires, and walked her around the room. They talked about everything, from potential glee songs, to the weather, to how white absolutely _everything _was in the hospital. It made playing "I Spy" incredibly hard, which they tried during their 20th loop around the room.

"I know we talked about this before, but have you decided on a name?"

Quinn walked from the bed back to the window, her arm linked with Will's so he could catch her when another contraction hit.

"Not yet. But I've narrowed the field. Actually, I… well, I kind of wanted your input."

Will stopped. "Mine?"

"Well yeah, I mean she's practically yours." Quinn continued towards the window but stopped when she realized Will was no longer with her. "What's wrong?"

He cleared his throat. "Nothing."

"I have a middle name, I'm looking for a first name. Are there any in your family that you're attached to?"

Will shrugged. "My grandmother's name was Katharine. My grandfather called her 'his Kate'… I dunno, I've always liked the name. She taught me how to play piano."

Quinn paused, rolling the name off her tongue. "Katharine… I like it. Kate." Quinn seemed content until another contraction brought her to her knees. Will rubbed her lower back as she inhaled and exhaled. "Okay… enough walking."

Will helped her back into the bed. "Is there anyone I should call?... Puck?"

Quinn shook her head. "No. I did tell Rachel I would call her, but it's 4am and nothing's going to happen for a while. I wouldn't want to interrupt her beauty sleep. I'll need you to call Emma, though."

"Why?"

"I just need you to. But not now." Quinn let her eyes close, hurriedly trying to get in as much rest before the next contraction hit.

Will put his head down on the bed and time ticked slowly by.

XXXXXXXXX

"Eight centimeters."

"Thank _god._" Quinn let her head fall back as Will wiped her forehead with a wet washcloth. The doctor patted her knee.

"Just a little bit longer." Will smiled down at her. It was close to 6:30 in the morning and she was beyond drained. She hadn't even gotten to the hard part yet. "I'm going to go check to see if anyone's arrived."

"Okay." Quinn had finally relented and let Will call Emma at 6:00. Rachel was the second call. "Hey, Mr. Schue?"

"Will."

"Whatever. If I yell at you to shut-up or anything in the delivery room, please know that I don't mean it."

"You want me in the delivery room?"

"Well, you've come this far with me. I mean, I understand if you don't want to. I've heard it's a bit like a battlefield…"

He smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be there."

Although she projected an aura of confidence, she was sure he could see the fear in her eyes: the fear of doing this by herself, of being left alone.

When he said, "I'll be right back" and disappeared from the room, she knew he meant it and he returned before the next contraction hit.

Rachel and Emma were in the waiting room and by 7:00, Will told her that Finn had joined them as well. The news was a shock to say the least and in her already fragile emotional state, it took a good fifteen minutes to calm her down.

By 7:30, she was being moved into delivery.

"Where's Will?" Quinn frantically looked around until he appeared over her left shoulder in blue scrubs.

"Nice outfit. It's a breath of fresh air after the sweater vests and ties."

"You're about to deliver a baby and you're mocking me?"

Quinn grimaced, "Well I have to do something. I'm not allowed to push yet!"

Will grabbed her hand and helped prop her up against the pillows. The doctor put her legs in the stirrups and told her to push.

"I just realized I'm delivering a baby in front of my Spanish teacher."

"You're realizing this now? Be quiet and push!"

Quinn gripped his hand even harder and pushed until her face turned red and the veins popped out in her temple. When the doctor told her to stop, she sobbed and fell back against Will.

"You're doing great," he whispered in her ear. "Just a little bit more."

"Okay, Quinn, push." The doctor's hands were already covered in blood and it was all Quinn could do to not pass out on the delivery table. "Stop, Quinn, stop pushing."

"Why, what's – what's wrong?" Quinn leaned her head against Will's temple.

"Doctor?" Though he tried to suppress it, Quinn could still hear the panic in his voice.

"Nothing's wrong. Not now. The cord was wrapped around her neck but she's just fine. One more should do it. Are you ready?"

Quinn nodded and pushed as hard as she could. She felt as though she were being ripped in half, from the inside out. The pain was so unbearable, she wondered who was screaming and finally realized in was her. She fell silent, though, when another scream echoed around the room.

The doctor lifted up her shivering, gooey, howling baby and she was the most beautiful thing Quinn had ever seen. The nurse put a blanket on Quinn's chest and placed the baby in her arms. A pair of scissors was handed to Will and he cut the umbilical cord. Quinn was given a few minutes with her daughter before they took her away to clean her up.

"Wait, where is she going?"

Will smiled and smoothed back her hair. "She'll be right back."

Sure enough, not a minute later, the nurses returned her to Quinn's arms wrapped snugly in a clean, warm blanket.

"Hi, baby." Quinn didn't know when she had started crying but she suspected it was probably before she even entered the delivery room. She wasn't the only one. Will stood over them both, tears silently running down his cheeks.

"She's beautiful."

Quinn looked at his scrubs covered with blood. "I told you it was a battlefield."

"Yeah, but I think we won."

"I would've invited Emma as well, but I don't think she would've made it."

Will laughed, "No definitely not."

Quinn shrugged. "She'll see the inside of a delivery room someday."

Will raised his eyebrows but didn't comment on Quinn's offhand remark. "Wait, so let me get this straight: you can call her Emma, but you can't call me Will?"

"It's different."

"How?"

"It just is." And without another word, Quinn handed her daughter to Will and he cradled her to his chest.

"She's so small." The baby fit the length of Will's forearm. And there it was again: that look as he had held Mrs. Collins' baby on her first day back from maternity leave. That look that she was sure she would never get to see again. There it was, as he looked at her daughter.

Quinn sighed and leaned back against the pillows, exhaustion finally taking hold. "You two look good together."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Quinn was cleaned up and moved back into her room. Will changed back into his regular clothes and Baby Girl Fabray was placed in a bassinet by her mother's side. Rachel had already helped Quinn pick out which outfit her daughter would make her debut in, Quinn gave Finn permission to call her Drizzle, and Emma disinfected every surface of Quinn's room before feeling satisfied.

"Em, it's a hospital. It wreaks of Clorox."

"Will, people come into hospitals and get sick. It's a common occurrence." She sat on the arm of Will's chair and he put his arm around her, laying his head on her leg. She rubbed his cheek. "You need to shave."

Quinn quietly watched the exchange. Emma had an issue with germs on every surface imaginable, except on Will. He was her one safe haven. Quinn knew the feeling.

Emma looked up, "Finn said that he saw Puck's car in the parking lot. Rachel apparently called him."

Quinn looked down at her daughter: blue eyes and dark hair. "No one's stopping him from coming in."

Silence fell again.

"You never told me her middle name." Will lifted his head off Emma's lap.

Quinn blushed and played with the pink hat on top of Kate's head. Emma stood up and moved to Quinn's side, as if in allegiance. Will narrowed his eyes and looked between the two of them.

"What's going on?"

Quinn and Emma shared a look and Emma pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it to Quinn.

"Mr. Schue, I'd like for you to read this."

"What is it?"

"Her birth certificate form."

Will warily took the folder and opened it up. Quinn nibbled on her nail. He should have finished reading by now.

"Katharine Willa Fabray Schuester." Will let the name hang in the air. When he looked up, his eyes were glassy.

"Puck might step up, but no matter what he does, you'll always be her father. Which is why I wanted Emma to be here. We talked about it and I wanted to know if you'd sign her birth certificate. She needs a father. I'd like you to sign for her, Will."

"I… I don't know what to say."

Emma sat back down next to him. "Say yes, Will."

Quinn watched as Will ran his fingers over the form, as if making sure it was real. He looked up at her. "Do you have a pen?"

Emma handed him one and he signed his name.

"Come hold your daughter, Will."

Quinn handed Kate over to the man who had become the father in her life, just as he would be the father in her daughter's.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Three years later._

"I'm home!" Will Schuester dropped his briefcase by the door and promptly tripped over a toy truck.

"Daddy!" Will quickly caught the brunette blur that hurled herself at him.

"Hello, my munchkin!" He picked her up and swung her around, resting the three-year-old on his back as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Smells good." He entered the kitchen to find Emma tossing a salad and Quinn bouncing his red-haired son on her hip.

"Momma, look. I found Daddy."

"You sure did." Quinn smiled at her daughter and blew a raspberry on James Schuester's cheek. The baby laughed.

Emma smiled and kissed her husband. "How was the library?"

"Quiet."

"You're hilarious." Emma smeared some salad dressing on his chin.

Kate slid down his back and onto the floor as Will grabbed his son from Quinn's arms. "How's the new apartment?" Will asked as he strapped James into his highchair.

"Messy, but that's hardly my fault." She mocked glared at her daughter who grinned cheekily back.

"I cleaned up my Barbies. Just like you told me to."

"And what about the Legos?"

"Oops." Kate hid behind her father's legs.

"Playing with Legos? That's my girl." He ruffled her hair.

They had come a long way since the hectic start to their lives three years ago. Will and Quinn continued living in his apartment until they got past the sleepless nights and 4am feedings. Will and Emma got engaged and Quinn decided it was time to find her own place. She refused to move too far away, not wanting to keep Will and Emma away from Kate. Luckily, she found a place just around the block. They saw each other so frequently that it felt like the move had never taken place. Kate had a room in both houses and there was a crib at Quinn's just in case James stayed with her. Their brood was about to get one person bigger, but Emma swore Quinn to secrecy until she broke to news to Will. Sure, schedules got in the way, but Sunday nights always belonged to them. They were a unit. Quinn didn't even correct Kate when she started calling Emma, "Mommy." And they all knew that Finn was more than just "Uncle Finn" to them. Kate Schuester was a lucky girl.

Will picked up his daughter again and she rubbed off the remaining spot of salad dressing that he missed.

"Thanks, baby."

"Welcome."

Will turned to Quinn. "So?"

"So?"

"Did you invite him?"

Quinn sighed and turned to stir something on the stove. "I did. I doubt he'll show up though. I told him Rachel and Finn were coming, too. Just in case he needed moral support."

Will scoffed.

"Will, don't start."

Will looked at his wife and held his hands up innocently. "I didn't say anything."

She pinched his butt as she passed by. "You didn't need to."

"Three years. That's all I'm gonna say. Three years it's taken him."

"William," Emma warned as she set the table. Quinn glared at him from the stove.

"Oooh, Daddy's in trouble now…"

The doorbell rang and four heads whipped in the direction of the front door. Kate wiggled out of her father's arms and ran down the hallway.

The three adults in the kitchen held their breath until they heard a screech. "Uncle Finn!" They heard what sounded like a roar and a squeal of laughter.

Quinn laughed. "Looks like the monster got her again."

"Help me, Aunt Rachel!"

"You're on your own, kiddo."

Finn entered the kitchen carrying Kate over his shoulder. He flipped her over and deposited her in Will's arm.

"I think this belongs to you."

"Nope not mine."

"Daddy…" Kate wriggled free again and held tight to Finn's leg. He walked around the kitchen, giving Emma and Quinn a kiss on the cheek and ruffling James's hair. Rachel anxiously approached Will.

"Hey, Rach."

"He's not here yet?"

"Nothing's broken. So no, he's not here yet."

Emma took over Quinn's stirring as Quinn left to set the table. Finn took over feeding baby food to James and Kate dragged Rachel off to show her the new Barbie in her collection. It was controlled chaos.

Kate stopped at the hall and yelled over her shoulder. "Uncle Finn, you left the door open!" She skipped down the hall and stopped dead at the open door.

"Oh hello." All movement stopped in the kitchen as they listened to Kate and whoever was at the door. "You must be Puck. Momma says you're my third daddy. Come in and have some dinner!"

…

I could continue… should I? Thanks for any and all feedback!


	2. Fathers and Daughters

**Thanks so much for all of the reviews! It's truly wonderful to hear from all of you. AN: **_**Italics**_** indicate flashbacks, or thoughts, and the like. **

Quinn Fabray was never one to back down from a challenge, but facing the father of her baby in the presence of five and a half other witnesses wasn't exactly something she would call enticing. She held her breath as his footsteps drew closer and she chanced a glance at the man who, for all intents and purposes, was the father of her child. He stood still and she assumed he was holding his breath, too. Emma placed a calming hand on her back. She had a way of doing that. A guidance counselor to the very core, she was the rock to which they all held tightly to.

She didn't even realize she had paused midway in placing a fork on the placemat in front of her. It hovered over the red pattered plate as Quinn watched the hallway, waiting for her three-year-old daughter to drag her biological father into the kitchen by his finger.

There were many events that brought them to this particular night; beginning with the afternoon Kate was brought home from the hospital.

XXXXXXXXX

_Three years ago._

"_Mr Schue, I'm not going to break." Quinn shooed Will away as he hovered over her. "I can get dressed by myself."_

"_I know, I know. I'm just here as… a precaution." And thank goodness he was because as soon as Quinn tried to pull her pants up over her incredibly sore body, she lost her balance and almost hit the linoleum floor. Will braced her and leaned her against the bed, pulling the sweater down over the tank top she now wore. _

_Quinn grumbled, "Fine, fine, rub it in." _

_Instead of reveling in the fact that he was right and she was wrong, he merely looked up and asked, "Can you stand?" She nodded. "Okay, put your hands on my shoulders and I'm going to pull these up for you." _

_A few months ago, it would have been inconceivable to think that Will Schuester, her glee director and Spanish teacher would be helping her pull up a pair of pants. But after holding her hand through labor and seeing much more of her than either of them had probably anticipated, a pair of pants seem like a walk in the park. He held onto her arms and supported her as she buttoned them up. _

"_Thanks." _

_Will turned to the bassinet next to the bed. "Her turn." He lifted the baby out without disturbing her sleep and settled her into the carrier. She watched as he double-checked and triple-checked the straps, making sure her daughter was as secure as she could possibly be._

_The entire ride home, Will flashed the hazards and went 15 in a 45 mph zone. When it came time to bring James home, he was a real rebel: he chanced 25. _

_Though the kid next to them on the scooter seemed to be going faster than they were, Quinn didn't mind. She turned around and looked at her daughter, fast asleep in the safe confines of her triple-checked car seat. _

XXXXXXXXX

Quinn's heart hammered against her chest as Puck finally made his appearance, trailing behind his daughter. The mohawk had been shaved off and he was wearing a nice button down shirt. Quinn's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him. He looked physically uncomfortable under the gaze of all those in the kitchen.

"Hey, Puck." Will stepped forward and held out his hand. "Glad you could make it."

Quinn let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She watched as Puck glanced at the hand before taking it. "Sure, Mr. Schue. Thanks for inviting me."

Neither man made any mention that it wasn't the first time Noah Puckerman had been invited to Sunday night dinner. Emma stepped forward before the tension could settle in too deep.

"Noah, why don't you come sit over here with Finn. Maybe you can help him with James." James chose that moment to fling baby food at Finn's forehead.

Quinn watched as Kate tugged on Will's jacket and whispered none too quietly, "Daddy, why did Mommy call him Noah? Momma said his name was Puck."

Will looked at Puck and laughed. "Noah is his name, sweetie. Puck is a nickname. Like how I call you Kate."

"But my name is Katharine."

"That's right."

Quinn watched as Puck stared at the little girl hiding behind Will's legs. Except for the eyes, it was like looking at a mini-Puck. He shot her a small smile and a quiet, "Quinn," as he sat in the chair next to Finn. Finn wiped the baby mush off his forehead and clapped Puck on the back, handing him the spoon. "He's all yours."

Quinn finally set the fork down and watched as Puck looked at the spoon and then at the baby. Puck dipped the spoon into the mushy peas and James shook his head.

"Start with the applesauce."

"What?" Puck glanced up at Quinn.

"Start with the applesauce. It's his favorite. Then try the peas."

Puck shook the peas from the spoon and dove into the applesauce. James happily opened up and gobbled it down, getting only half in his mouth and half in his hair.

Will bent down and whispered something in Kate's ear. She nodded and climbed up on Puck's lap.

"Hi."

Puck looked surprised but not uncomfortable at this development. "Hi," he responded.

Quinn wandered over to Will, grabbed his sleeve and dragged him into the living room. "What are you doing?"

His eyebrows scrunched together. "What do you mean?"

"If you're trying to instill father/daughter bonding here, it won't work."

"Quinn, yesterday that girl bonded with the UPS guy. I think Puck's chances are pretty good."

Quinn sighed and rubbed her temples, feeling frustrated. "I don't want him to hurt her."

Will rubbed Quinn's arms as he looked back at Kate animatedly showing Puck how to probably spoon baby food. "He won't. I won't let him."

"_You're_ her father, Will."

"In name only, Quinn."

"You know that's not true." She felt the need to constantly remind him of that fact, even adding a little shove against his chest when he disputed it. He always said that he would back off if Puck ever came back. Of course, Quinn would never let him, but she did wonder what feelings were running through him as Puck sat at his dining room table. "She's yours, Will. Always has been."

"Puck is that little girl's flesh and blood. You can't deny him that."

Quinn crossed her arms over chest. "I never have. It's not my fault he was too much of a coward to show up."

Will sighed and looked at his shoes. "That's not entirely true."

XXXXXXXXXX

_Quinn slept peacefully in the hospital room as Will wandered down to the nursery. He stood on the other side of the glass and let his head fall, the stress and exhaustion of the previous night taking hold somewhere between his shoulder blades. _

"_Mr. Schue?" _

_Will looked up and saw Puck standing a few feet away. "Puck."_

_The teen wandered over and looked through the glass, letting the question hang in the air._

"_That one." Will pointed to the plastic bassinet containing a small bundle with a pink hat. "That's her." _

_Puck placed his hand against the window and looked down at her. _

"_She has your hair."_

_Puck smiled. "Poor kid." _

_Will cleared his throat. "Do you want to hold her?" _

_Puck shook his head. "Nah." He paused, taking a deep breath. "We both know she's not really mine." _

"_Puck…"_

"_Take care of 'em, Mr. Schue." _

_Will nodded. "I will." He watched as Puck turned and headed back down the hall and out of sight. _

XXXXXXXXXXX

Anger flooded through Quinn. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She watched the hurt look cross his face at her snap. "I did tell you! But you were still a bit loopy from the drugs."

"Oh." She felt foolish, but she didn't uncross her arms from their protective position in front of her. "And you didn't feel the need to remind me after they wore off?"

"I guess I didn't want to see you get hurt. And that's my fault. I'm sorry."

Quinn nodded. "We promised we wouldn't do that."

"Quinn, I've only ever tried to do what's best for you. You're as much my daughter as she is. You do know that, right?"

"You know I do." She thought back on all he done for her: the bills and the diapers, the midnight feedings and the toys, the holidays and the birthdays. Will was there for it all. Sometimes she thought she saw Puck's truck turn the corner as she played with Kate on the playground, but that was all he ever was. A fleeting glance. Then one day, Will extended the invitation to dinner as he did every week and Puck finally said yes. Quinn had yet to work out why this week of all weeks, he changed his mind, but she thought it best not to delve too deep into the musings of Noah Puckerman.

"Come on." Will held out his arm and looped it around her shoulders. "Five bucks says he's covered in Gerber."

"Ten." Quinn smiled, before a cry erupted from the kitchen. She and Will hurried to find Puck in a state of panic as James wailed in front of him.

"Oh God, what'd I do?"

Emma smiled and placed her hand on Puck's shoulder. "Nothing. He's teething and cranky. You didn't do anything." She handed James a rubber ring and he happily started gnawing away on it.

Puck looked over at Will. "He's got your pipes, Mr. Schue."

Will blushed with fatherly pride. "Puck, you haven't been my student for two years. You can call me Will."

"Sure thing, Mr. Schue."

Quinn smiled and elbowed Will in the ribs. "And you gave _me_ a hard time about not calling you Will."

Will elbowed her back. "It only took you a year and a half."

Quinn could have sworn she saw a ghost of a shadow pass over Puck's face as she and Will bantered back and forth. But like most ghosts, it was gone before she could be sure.

"Five more minutes," Rachel called as she set the oven timer. Kate held onto Finn's leg again as he tried to carry on a conversation with Will about his music scholarship to Ohio State.

"Daddy, where's my bear?"

Will looked down at his daughter as she sat on Finn's shoe, her arms and legs wrapped around him. She squealed as Finn lifted both his leg and her off the ground.

"I don't know, baby, did you leave it at home?"

"I saw it in the playroom," Emma called and Kate scurried into the other room to find it. She returned a moment later and proudly presented the brown teddy with a faded pink bow to Puck.

"Look, his name is 'Bear." Kate looked back up at Will when Puck didn't say anything. Will cleared his throat, watching Puck stare at the worn teddy bear.

"You know who gave you that bear, sweetie?" Kate shook her head and Will pointed to Puck. "He did."

Quinn's eyes darted back and forth between her daughter and the man who fathered her. She watched as Kate stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you for Bear. He's one of my favorites."

Puck hesitated before placing his hand on the little girl's head. "You're welcome."

Quinn cleared her throat, "Dinner's ready."

XXXXXXXX

_Will and Quinn stood over the pink bundle as she wailed on the living room floor._

"_Is she hungry?"_

_Quinn shook her head. "I just fed her."_

"_Burp?"_

"_Did that, too."_

"_I think she needs a new diaper," Emma piped up from the couch._

_Will raised his eyebrows and looked at Quinn. She stared right back. "You're the older one, Mr. Schue. You're supposed to know how to do this."_

"_Just because I'm older doesn't mean I come with a manual." Both of them turned around and looked at Emma._

"_Absolutely not." She shook her red-head vehemently._

_Will sighed. "All right. It can't be that hard." He kneeled down and took out a tiny diaper from the pack._

_It took two adults and three diapers before one was finally secured on Kate's squirming body, with Emma cheering from the sidelines. It was a small accomplishment but they celebrated nonetheless._

_And when Quinn went to check on her daughter later that evening, she found Will sound asleep on the couch, Kate rising and falling with every breath he took. For not coming with a manual, he did pretty well for himself. _

XXXXXXXXX

Quinn shut the front door behind Finn and Rachel and headed back into the living room where Puck sat on the floor listening to Kate categorize her Barbies.

"And this one's from a place called Malibu. I made a Lego car for her to drive. It's green. They don't make pink Legos."

Puck laughed. "Legos, huh?"

Quinn sat down on the sofa, watching them. "Yes, Will's taught her well." And there was that shadow again, flitting across his face.

Quinn glanced up as Emma returned from putting James to bed. She walked over to Will who stood in the doorway of the living room, but not a step closer. Emma put her arm around his back and whispered something in his ear. He gave her a tight smile and nodded back. Quinn frowned.

"Daddy, look!" Kate held up her Barbie in one of its new outfits.

Quinn's heart broke a little when both Puck and Will's heads turned in Kate's direction. Will seemed to notice and cleared his throat, looking down. Emma nudged him. "Will, she's calling you."

When Will raised his head, it wasn't his daughter he was looking at. Puck avoided his gaze and picked at the carpet.

"Daddy!" Kate held her Barbie up even higher and waved it around, as if trying to flag Will down.

Will gripped Emma's hand as he glanced down at his girl. "Look's great, baby."

Kate, pleased with herself, picked up a tiny brush and went to work on the doll's manufactured perm.

Puck cleared his throat and stood, brushing nonexistent lint off his jeans. "I should head out."

Emma stepped forward, as if to say something, but she was tugged back a bit when Will refused to let go of her hand. Quinn watched him grip his wife as if she was a safety net. He expertly avoided her eyes but Quinn could see the insecurity settle over him. It was in the set of his shoulders and the way his legs shifted his weight back and forth. Will Schuester was never very good at hiding his feelings.

Emma finally got her words out, even if she was still attached to her husband. "Puck, you don't have to go. I was just about to make some tea."

"Nah, that's all right, Miss Pillsbury – I mean Mrs. Schue - "

"Emma."

Puck smiled, "Emma. I really should head out. Gotta work early tomorrow."

Kate tugged on Puck's shirt. "You're leaving? But I haven't shown you my green Lego corvette."

Puck gently tugged on a lock of her hair. "Next time, kiddo."

"You'll come back?" Kate looked at Puck with eyes so much like Quinn's. Quinn knew from experience that Puck could hardly ever refuse that look.

"Of course he'll come back, sweetie." It was Will who answered for him. "Sunday night is family night, remember?"

This time, when Puck looked at Will, he didn't look for a distraction on the floor. "Sunday sounds great."

"Yay!" Kate jumped up and down, before Quinn picked her up.

"Easy there, munchkin. Don't get all wound up, it's almost bedtime."

Kate's face immediately fell and she pouted. Puck laughed, "Like mother, like daughter." He cleared his throat and looked at Quinn. "Walk me out?"

Words seem to fail her so Quinn just silently nodded. She deposited Kate in Will's arms without a word and followed Puck to the door. He opened it and stepped onto the stoop, but Quinn remained in the doorway.

"Thanks for inviting me."

She crossed her arms. "Will invited you. He's invited you every Sunday for the past three years."

Puck hung his head. "I know."

Quinn let the obvious question hang in the air, waiting for him to come up with a suitable answer.

Puck scuffed his toe against the brick. "I was scared. When she was born, I just didn't have my shit together. You know that. I wanted to be a family, but… I don't think I really knew what being a family meant. I knew that it sounded good. But I didn't plan ahead for the… responsibility, I guess. Mr. Schue did. He deserved you. And her." He sighed and finally looked up at her. Somehow, he looked older. "And you deserved someone better than me."

"And now?"

And there it was, that classic Noah Puckerman smirk. "I don't know. You tell me."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You never change."

The smirk faded. "So you think." He stepped down onto the sidewalk and threw a wave over his shoulder. "See you next Sunday."

Quinn didn't know why, or perhaps she just didn't really want to think about it, but her stomach made the tiniest of flips when he said that.

"Don't disappoint me again," she whispered but he was already out of earshot. She sighed as she shut the door and took a moment to gather herself before facing her family again.

Quinn returned to the living room avoiding their glances and flopped down on the chair. "Well, I have to say, that went better than expected."

Emma snorted, "Yes, no broken bones or stitches. A rare occurrence in the Schuester household."

Quinn closed her eyes, remembering the time not too long ago that Kate tried to be helpful and undid James's highchair. He fell and split open his head prompting a late night trip to the ER. Kate cried for a week.

Will laid on the couch and stared at the ceiling, toeing his shoes off one foot at a time. Kate climbed on top of him causing Will to let out an "Oof" as she kneed him in the stomach.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"No problem, baby."

Quinn watched as Kate snuggled deep into the crook of Will's arm, her fingers playing with the collar on his shirt. It was a habit she picked up as a baby, rubbing the fabric of his collars. It was as much of a comfort to her as a blanket or prized animal. Finn's baby blanket and the stuffed bunny were packed way in the attic somewhere. If Quinn had known that all it would take to calm her baby down were Will's shirts, she would have forgone the toys and raided his closet.

She continued to stare at him.

"What, Quinn?"

She jumped not realizing that he had been watching her watch him. "You're being paranoid, Will."

"You were staring at me. How am I the paranoid one?"

She looked significantly at Kate before replying, "That's not what I'm talking about."

Will sighed. "I'm fine." Still, Quinn noticed that he hugged Kate slightly closer, as if someone would come around the corner and take her away.

"Liar."

Will glared at her but the topic was dropped. The return of Puck into their lives complicated things. It messed with the balance that they had worked so hard to build. As she said time and time again, they were a unit. There could be no construction or additions without careful blueprints being drawn up. And the last thing Quinn wanted was for Will to doubt his position in her life and in his daughter's life. After all they had been through, Quinn hoped that he trusted her enough to know that she would never place their unit in jeopardy.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Quinn paced back and forth in the nursery, bouncing the screaming 4 month old. She was tired, so so tired. Kate had just started sleeping decent hours and on the odd day when she did wake up in the middle of the night, Will was usually able to sing her back to sleep. But that was the problem. Will was gone. _

_Quinn had told him to go, told him not to worry, she could handle it. And now here she was, close to tears and ready to tear her hair out because she couldn't even get her own daughter to sleep. She felt like a failure as Kate screamed louder. What would the neighbors think?_

_Quinn bit her lip as she made her way to the living room. Perhaps a change of scenery? No, Kate didn't seem to care. White walls or green, she screamed all the louder. Quinn glanced at Will's open bedroom door and silently cursed it. _

_But what right did she have? He was spending his first night away from the house in months. Months. Since well before Kate was born. He should be allowed to have a life outside of her and the baby. But when she brought this up, as a way to convince him to get out more and ease the guilt she felt, he responded with "You two are part my life." _

_Sure, she knew exactly where he was: with the person that made up the other part of his life. He made sure she had Emma's phone number and address before he left, even though she had been to Emma's apartment many times before. Will always was the cautious one. _

_As Quinn pressed her cheek to her baby's in an effort to comfort the child, she paused mid-"shhh." Kate's forehead felt surprisingly warm. Quinn felt it again. Yes, definitely warm. Hot even. Frustration gave way to sheer panic. Her baby was sick and she was all alone. _

_She stared at Will's open bedroom door and debated for a whole five minutes before she threw clothes on and packed the baby in the car. The drive to Emma's was short but loud. Kate's wailing reached all time highs and her face went from pink to red. Quinn hit the gas pedal harder. _

_Hurrying up to Emma's condo, she knocked on the front door and waited. No answer. She knocked harder. No answer. She banged until her hand hurt and the door was suddenly flung open to reveal Will in nothing but a pair of boxers, brandishing a dustbuster as a weapon, his eyes bleary with sleep. _

"_What do you – Quinn? What are you doing here?" Quinn watched as the confusion drained from his face when he looked down at Kate in her arms. Panic took its place. "What's wrong?"_

"_Will?" Emma appeared over his shoulder tying up a robe. "Quinn, are you all right?"_

_At that moment, the stress, exhaustion, and terror took over and she let out a sob. "No, I'm not all right. She's sick and she won't stop crying and I can't do anything to help her. I'm a…" she hiccupped "terrible mother. I'm so sorry to wake you" hiccup "up." _

_Will took Kate out of Quinn's arms and felt her forehead. "Jesus." He turned to Emma. "Can you grab my clothes? We're going to the hospital." _

"_Hospital?" Quinn squeaked out. _

"_I'm coming, too." Emma left no room for discussion as she disappeared back inside to grab their clothes. _

"_Hospital? Why are we going to the hospital? Is it really that bad?" The worry caused Quinn's voice to go unnaturally high. _

_Will hugged her to him with his spare arm and ushered her into the condo. "It's going to be okay. It's just a precaution. She has a high fever and she's very tiny. But she's going to be just fine." _

_Quinn's sobs subsided to sniffles. "You don't know that." _

"_No, I don't. But I have a pretty good idea." _

_Quinn ran her finger across her baby's cheek. "I'm scared." _

_Will bounced Kate up and down and hummed in her ear. "Quinn, babies get sick everyday. Kate's no different." _

_Quinn gripped his arm. "Did I do something wrong? What if I… left the window open or something. It's cold out and –" _

_Will cut off her rambling by hugging her to him and placing a kiss on her forehead. "You're a great mother. You don't give yourself enough credit." _

"_I'm sorry I woke you up," she mumbled into his chest. "I'm sorry I ruined your night." _

"_Hey." He put a finger to her lips. "Not another word." _

_Emma returned fully dressed and handed Will his clothes. They piled into the car and made it to the hospital in record time. Lima, Ohio at 3am wasn't exactly a bustling place. _

_When the doctor asked who the baby's parents were, Will and Quinn stepped forward. When the doctor asked for family medical history, Will stepped back again. _

_He put up a calm, confident front for Quinn, but in a moment when he thought he was all alone, she heard him whispering over Kate's crib. "Katharine Willa, you gave your mother quite a scare." She watched as he leaned down and ran a finger across her cheek. "Gave your father quite a scare too." _

_Kate spent two and a half days in the hospital. Will was there for all 60 hours. _

XXXXXXXXXX

"Katie-girl, time to get up." Quinn rubbed her palm across her daughter's back until drowsy eyes slowly opened and squinted in the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Momma?"

"Who else would it be, silly? Come on. We have to have breakfast and get ready for pre-school."

"Pancakes!"

Quinn couldn't help but laugh as the thought of fluffy pancakes covered in gooey maple syrup got her daughter out of bed in a hot second. Kate kicked the covers back and ran out the bedroom.

"Wait, you need clothes, munchkin!" Quinn knew it was going to be one of those mornings: Kate would refuse to eat anything other than whatever breakfast she happened to desire that day, then insist on wearing her pajamas to school, then struggle with her mother as she brushed her hair, and finally try and sneak out the door without brushing her teeth. Quinn rubbed her temple. She could already feel a headache coming on.

The doorbell rang and Quinn groaned. She jogged down the hallway and open the door, revealing a smiley Will on the other side.

"You're early."

"You're late."

"No, I'm not." Quinn looked at her watch. "Crap!" She sprinted down the hall, into the tiny kitchen leaving Will to shut the door behind her. "Kate, let's go! We're late!"

Kate stood on her tiptoes trying to pull her purple plastic cup down from the counter. "But I want pancakes."

Quinn grabbed the cup for her and poured a glass of milk. "Baby, we don't have time for pancakes."

"Daddy!" Kate jumped in Will's arms as he rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Pancakes, huh?" Will glanced at Quinn and she glared right back, shaking her head.

"How about this: how about Momma gets your outfit out while I whip up some pancakes, huh? Sound good?"

"We don't have time," Quinn spit out through gritted teeth.

Will bounced Kate in his arms. "I'm dropping her off at school and I have a first period free so if I'm late, who cares. Just set her clothes out and I'll make sure she gets there. You won't be late for class. And she won't miss their daily hokey pokey."

Will grinned as Kate started singing, _"You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out…" _

Quinn's decision to take classes at the local community college was fully supported by Will and Emma. They took the brunt of the morning routine off of her, shuttling Kate to pre-school and her bitty ballet class. It was something for which she was incredibly grateful. Quinn glanced back and forth between two sets of puppy-dog eyes, cheeks pressed together in solidarity. Father and daughter looked absolutely nothing alike, but Kate had picked up many of Will's more frustrating yet endearing facial expressions.

"Fine. Munchkin, are you in a pink mood or purple mood?"

Kate looked down at Will's blue and green striped tie. "Blue!"

Quinn sighed and disappeared into Kate's bedroom as the crash of a metal mixing bowl reverberated around the kitchen. She shook her head, yet laughed. One of them, and she had a pretty good hunch on which one, would be covered in flour by the time she returned.

Sure enough, seven minutes later she came back to find Will with a good dose of flour smeared across his cheek and a maple syrup stain on his tie. Kate sat at the kitchen table, happily munching away on her breakfast. Quinn walked up and dabbed at the stain with a wet paper towel.

"You'll need to borrow James's bib next time."

Will gave her a wry smile. "I learned my lesson a long time ago. There's an extra tie in my bag."

"Of course there is." Quinn wiped up the last of the syrup and turned to her daughter. "Katie, your backpack's by the door. Don't forget to brush your teeth."

"Yes, Momma."

Quinn turned to make sure Will got the message. "Yes, Momma," he repeated.

Quinn rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag and blew two air kisses to her family.

She received two in return.

XXXXXXXXXX

_It had taken them eight and a half months of living together for the first fight to come to a head. And boy did it. A little disagreement over Kate's care had turned the Schuester household into no man's land. _

"_Quinn, I didn't mean it like that." Will paced back and forth in the living room, running his hands through his unruly hair. It was 3am and Emma had taken the Kate to her place before Will and Quinn could come to blows. _

"_Oh really? Then in what way did you mean it because I'm pretty sure that you just called me a bad mother." _

"_Quinn, you know I don't think that. That's not what I - " _

_She cut him off. "I'm doing the best I can!" _

"_We both are!" _

_When Quinn got emotional, she got on the defensive. When Quinn got emotional _and _hormonal, there was really nothing either she or Will could do to calm her down. "You don't know what's best for her." _

"_But I'm learning," Will pleaded with her. _

"_I should've called Puck."_

"_Don't say that. Please." _

"_What do you care? She's his daughter, not yours!"_

_Will stepped back as if he'd been slapped. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out so he closed it again. _

_Quinn felt like a cement block had just been dropped on her chest. There was really only one way she could hurt Will Schuester and she just threw it in his face without a second thought. Quinn closed her eyes, feeling hot tears fall onto her cheeks. _

"_Will," she took a step towards him. He took a step back. "Will, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it." _

_He looked down at the ground. "Yes, you did. And you're right. She's not mine." _

_Quinn lost her battle to keep her composure and her voice cracked. "But she is. In every way that matters." _

_Will looked at her, his face full of resignation. "Not in the way you need." He grabbed his coat and keys and walked out the door without a glance back. _

_When Emma told Quinn at 4am that she hadn't seen him, Quinn threw her coat on and walked the neighborhood. He had the advantage of a car, but she walked for him anyway. _

_She returned at 7am to an empty apartment. She called Emma again at 7:10 and he was still nowhere to be found. _

_Quinn waited on the couch until the front door opened at 9:13 and Will walked in. _

"_Hi," she sighed, a mixture of relief and exhaustion. _

"_Hi." He sat on the couch next to her and wiped the tears off her cheeks. Quinn leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. _

"_I'm so sorry." _

"_I know." _

"_I didn't mean it." _

"_I know."_

"_Please don't do that again." _

"_I won't." _

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise." _

_Few words were needed. They'd used them all last night. _

XXXXXXXXXX

Quinn opened the door with the spare key and dropped her bag next to James's sneakers and Emma's pink and yellow umbrella. The house was surprisingly quiet for 4pm. Usually when Quinn swung by Will and Emma's to pick up Kate, she was lucky if she could her herself think, let alone carry on a conversation.

"Hello? Emma?"

Emma walked into the hallway from the living room rubbing hand sanitizer in between her fingers.

"Hey, Quinn. How was your day?"

"Busy. If I didn't understand Statistics in high school, I have no idea what made me think I was going to grasp it in college."

Emma laughed, ushering Quinn into the kitchen where James banged his arms on the highchair at the sight of her. She placed a kiss on his forehead and picked some cheerios out of his hair.

"Where's Kate?"

Emma frowned. "What do you mean? James and I just got home. I assumed Will had her."

The panic took hold somewhere in Quinn's chest. "Where are they? It's Monday. Monday is Will's day."

Emma moved towards Quinn, sensing her rising anxiety, and attempted to seat her in a chair. Quinn bypassed the chair and paced around the kitchen.

"I'm sure Will has her. They probably stopped for ice cream or something else that she's not allowed to have."

As Emma tried to rationalize, Quinn had her cell phone out and was already dialing Will's number. Every passing ring echoed louder in her ear.

"He's not answering." Just as Quinn was about to hit redial, the front door opened and she could hear her daughter's voice.

"What do you mean, _We should knock? _I _live_ here. I don't need to knock."

Quinn looked down the hallway, cell phone still in hand, to see Kate shrugging out of her tiny pink backpack, leading Puck in by his sleeve.

Puck answered Kate, "Yeah, _you _live here." His gaze moved to Quinn. "_I _don't."

Kate hurled herself down the hallway and into Quinn's arms. "Momma!"

"Munchkin, where have you been? I was worried."

"Uncle Puck picked me up."

"Oh?" Quinn avoided Puck's gaze, even though she could feel his on her. "And where's Daddy?'

Kate shrugged her shoulders with all the indifference a three year old could muster and wiggled out of her mother's arms before launching herself at Emma.

"Uh, Mr. Schue called and said something came up. Knowing Mrs. Schue was busy with the tot," he nodded at James, "and you had a late class, his options were slim. Both Finn and Rachel are back at campus."

"And he called you?"

Puck made a sound that was a mixture of sarcasm and defeat. "Like I said. It was slim pick'ns."

Quinn's mouth formed a silent 'o.' "And how'd he get your number?"

"What's with the inquisition?"

"I didn't mean it like - "

Emma piped up from the table, silencing the escalating war of words. "He's had it. Puck's number, that is. He's had it since before Kate was born. You know, 'just in case,' he always said."

Both Puck and Quinn looked down at their shoes, scuffing them against the hardwood.

"Well, you got your daughter safe and sound. I'll be heading out."

The use of '_your_ daughter' was not lost on Quinn and she mustered out a "Thank you" as he headed towards the door. Emma hurried up behind her and nudged her in the back.

"Ask him for dinner," she whispered.

"But it's not Sunday," Quinn retorted and received a stern glare from Emma in return. She groaned and called out Puck's name against her better judgment. "Wait."

He paused, hand on the doorknob. "Yeah?"

"Stay for dinner. I mean, if you can. Or want to."

His hand wavered ever so slightly. "You sure?"

Quinn felt herself smile. "Positive."

Puck sauntered back into the kitchen, much to the delight of one little girl. He even sat down across from James and fed him dry cheerios without being prompted to do so. Quinn silently watched the scene from the other side of the kitchen island, taking in the details: the way Puck's eyes showed nothing but rapt attention when Kate was talking to him or his lack of frustration when James threw cheerios at his nose.

With all the excitement in the kitchen, though, she couldn't help but think about Will and his motives in calling Puck. She glanced at the front door, expecting him to walk in.

Three hours and nine phone calls later, Will still hadn't come home.


	3. Bitter Aftertaste

**Thank you everyone again for the reviews. Please keep them coming. They truly do inspire me and I try to take the advice to heart. AN: **_**Greys has become my life**__**, **_**the Emma/Kate flashback is for you. **

It frightened Quinn when she had to be the supportive one. She had always relied on the strength of others and this flip in positions unnerved her. Emma had always been the teacher, the guidance counselor, the voice of reason. Quinn took for granted just how calm Emma could be in a crisis. This was not one of those times.

"He should have been here by now."

Quinn watched as Emma paced back and forth, left to right, right to left, checking the watch on her wrist only to realize she never put it on that morning. Puck stood idly back, distracting Kate by letting her run her hands over his spiky hair. The sensation against her palm caused her to giggle with delight while tugging on her own long tresses.

Emma let out a noise of frustration and reached under the sink for the cleaner and a cloth. She had finally succumbed to the one habit that had gotten her through many a stressful hour. Quinn watched as Emma scrubbed up nonexistent dust in her immaculate kitchen. She watched for two whole minutes before picking up a nearby sponge and joining her.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Quinn's eyes adjusted to the moonlight streaming through the window and the nightlight casting shadows in the corner. _

_She eased herself into the rocking chair and pulled her legs up to her chest, wincing as she did so. While her young body had bounced back remarkably quickly from giving birth, she was still a little sore. _

_Her baby's chest rose and fell with every breath she took and Quinn sat, mesmerized, as she watched her through the bars on the crib. _

_She looked around at the small room. Small, but perfect. The twin bed hugged the far wall flanked by the changing table that had taken Will three hours to hammer together. He might have been teacher and glee director extraordinaire, but handyman he was not._

_She smiled at the memory, running her fingers along the wooden arms of the rocking chair as she had done on her first night here. Will had become family and his house had become home. She wouldn't be able to stay there forever, though. She knew that. Just looking around at her bedroom was evidence enough. There wasn't enough space. Kate would grow and her needs along with her. _

_Quinn rested her elbows on the chair and dropped her head into her hands as the full weight of being a single mother became too much to bear. She could hear Will's soft snores far off, which meant he was most likely sleeping on his back. He was the float that kept her head above water, but she didn't want to become too dependent on him. She couldn't burden him with that – not when he had just proposed to Emma. It wasn't fair to either of them. She needed to learn to swim on her own._

_Quinn didn't even notice when hot tears started to make their way down her face. She cranked up the mobile hanging over the crib to drown out her sniffles and a quiet lullaby filled the room._

"_Quinn?" _

_She jumped in the darkness, putting a hand to her chest. "Emma, you scared me." _

"_Sorry. I didn't mean to." Emma tiptoed into the room and stood above her._

"_Did I wake you up?"_

_Emma shook her red hair and played with the hem of her white t-shirt. "No, no. I was thirsty and thought I heard something in the kitchen. Are – are you all right?"_

_Quinn began to nod a "yes," which quickly became a "no." Emma swept her foot across the carpet, as if a rub of her toes would magically clean it, and crouched down._

"_You can talk to me." _

"_I know." _

"_Is it the baby?" Quinn remained silent. "Is it Will?" _

_Quinn inhaled deeply and watched the turning mobile. "Both, really." The little ballerinas that spun slowly on point were hypnotizing. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking to you about this."_

"_Why not? If Will's your family, I'm your family." _

_It was such a simple, logical statement, but it knocked Quinn silent. Her family had deserted her and in that moment of utter aloneness, she never dreamed that she would inherit another. _

"_Quinn?"_

"_Sorry, I just… I'm having a bit of a moment." _

"_I have lots of those." Emma smiled and tentatively rubbed her arm. Quinn knew what a big step that was for her and was incredibly touched by the sentiment.  
_

"_I don't want to burden you and Mr. Schue."_

"_Quinn, you could never be a burden." Emma squeezed Quinn's arm just a little harder._

"_But aren't you… don't you – don't you want Mr. Schue to yourself?" Quinn mentally smacked herself for asking such a blunt question but she had been thinking it for days – ever since Emma starting spending nights at the apartment – and she was glad it was finally off her chest. _

_Instead of the reprimand Quinn was expecting, though, Emma smiled and pushed Quinn's hair behind her ear. "I love Will so much …and that means understanding the many things that make Will who he is. I love what he loves. I'm happy when he's happy. He loves you Quinn. He really does. And we both know he loves that baby more than anything."_

"_Not more than you." _

_Emma smiled again. "It's not a competition. If there's anything I've learned about Will Schuester over the years, it's that his heart has room for many things… and many people."_

_Quinn let her head drop on top of Emma's and she sighed, content that Emma neither flinched, nor moved away. _

"_No more talk about burdens, got it?"_

_Quinn smiled, "Got it."_

"_Hey," Both women jumped as Will appeared in the doorway - one eye squinted shut as he tried to rub the sleep out of it. _

"_Sorry, did we wake you?" Emma glanced up worriedly. _

_He shook his head. "The bed got cold." His gaze shifted from Emma to Quinn. "Everything all right?"_

"_Fine, I'll be back in a minute." _

_He nodded sleepily and padded back to the bedroom, both women watching him go. _

_Emma sighed and laughed lightly. "He was half asleep. He won't remember that tomorrow morning."_

"_Thanks, Emma. For everything." _

_Emma ran her hand over Quinn's head, instructing her to "Get some sleep," before disappearing into the darkness after Will. _

_Quinn did as she was told and climbed back into bed, comforted by the knowledge that no matter what happened, she and her baby were in good hands._

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Will, you're late. You nearly gave Quinn a panic attack when she came to pick up Kate. Let me know where you are. Love you."

…

"Okay, Will, I'm starting to worry. Call me. Love you."

…

"William Schuester, answer your goddamn phone."

Quinn had rarely heard Emma swear and it was at that point that she decided to take over leaving the hostile voicemails.

…

"Will, it's Quinn. Where are you? Emma is stress-cooking a meal that could feed Ohio State's student population… and Notre Dame's. Call me."

…

"Okay, Kate's starting to sense that something's wrong and she's worried that you won't be home in time to read to her. It's Monday. You have to finish Winnie-the-Pooh. You promised."

She didn't bother leaving a message the next two times.

…

"Hi. It's me again. Come home."

XXXXXXXXXX

"_Em, she won't bite." _

"_Uh, I beg to differ," Quinn responded from her spot on the couch. Will continued to rock the baby back and forth while coaxing his fiancée closer to him. As they developed a closer relationship, Quinn had become accustomed to Emma's phobias. While she didn't understand all of them, she accepted them. Still, trying to get a mysophobe to hold a crying, poo-ing, puking baby was a feat she left up to Will. _

"_Emma, you're going to have to hold her at some point." _

_Emma stood on the other side of the room, biting her lip and slightly shaking her head. _

"_But she's…"_

"_Messy? All babies are." Will took a step closer and Emma backed into the wall. _

"_I want to hold her, I really do." _

_Quinn could see the longing in Emma's eyes, but her fear firmly rooted her to the ground. It was no secret that Will wanted children and seeing the way Emma's upper body almost unconsciously leaned towards the child made Quinn realize that Emma wanted one just as badly._

"_Em." No response. "Emma?" She glanced at him. "Just stand next to me for a minute." _

_Emma inched her way across the padded carpet and took Will's outstretched hand. The baby was cradled in his other arm, close to his chest. _

"_Good. That was good." He smiled encouragingly at her. "Now just relax… and don't flinch. Babies don't like sudden movements." _

_Quinn didn't think it was possible, but Emma's eyes grew wider as Will guided her hand and gently placed it on the baby's head. Emma stood frighteningly still as her palm cupped the baby's warm, soft crown. _

"_There. That's not so bad, is it?" Will ducked his head down, trying to make eye contact with her. Emma gave a brief shake of her head. "Remember to breathe, Em." _

_The air Emma had been holding came whooshing out of her chest. Quinn stifled a laugh. _

"_She's so soft." Emma slowly moved her fingers across the tuft of dark hair on Kate's head. The movement caused Kate to burrow further into Will's chest. _

"_Have a seat." Will guided Emma to empty spot on the couch and reached out to hand the baby to her. _

"_Oh no, I don't think I'm ready, no please, okay," Emma rambled as the baby was placed in her arms. The child cooed softly and looked up at her with wide blue eyes. Emma gasped as Kate grasped hold of her finger and Quinn watched as she stiffened at the contact. But all anxiety seemed to drain from her body a moment later and she stared down at the blue eyes fixated on her. _

"_Wow. I've never… held a baby before. She's beautiful, Quinn."_

_Will silently watched the scene as Quinn peered over Emma's shoulder. "She likes you." _

"_You think?" _

"_Of course. She can't take her eyes off you." _

_Emma carefully bounced Kate up and down. "Babies are so light."_

_Quinn laughed and looked up at Will. His eyes were transfixed on his fiancée and the baby in her arms. And there it was again: Quinn's favorite look. The one she saw on his face one day in the teacher's lounge that made a reappearance right after she delivered. Quinn swallowed past the unexpected lump that lodged in her throat. _

_Kate broke the moment by screwing up her face and wailing loudly. Emma immediately panicked. "Oh god. Oh god oh god, what'd I do?" _

_Quinn placed a hand on her shoulder and Will stepped forward to grab Kate before Emma had a complete meltdown._

_Will sniffed the air. "I think someone needs a new diaper."_

_Emma fanned herself and tried to stop the hyperventilating. "I – I don't have to do that, right?" _

_Will laughed, "Not yet. One step at a time." _

_One week later, Will put a finger to his lips and told Quinn to be quiet as he ushered her over to the doorway of her bedroom. Peering inside, Quinn saw Emma awkwardly bouncing a crying Kate up and down and looking around in terror. _

"_Okay, shhh, it's okay." Emma opened some drawers and pulled out a diaper. She stared at the baby, then the diaper, and back to the baby. "Okay, kiddo, looks like it's just you and me." Emma placed the baby on the changing table and wrestled the outfit off of her. She took a deep breath and stared at the mess in front of her. "Okay, Katie, we can do this." _

_Pulling some plastic gloves out of her pocket and arming herself with a baby wipe, she dove in. _

_Quinn smiled as Will gripped her hand. _

_Baby steps. _

XXXXXXXXXX

The Legos were scattered around, contrasting vibrantly with the pale color of the carpet. Quinn stood in the doorway of the living room and watched as Puck assembled some sort of water vehicle. At least that's what he claimed it was. It sure was no boat.

"Uncle Puck, look." Kate held up some sort of leaning tower.

"Looks awesome, kid." Puck turned to James who had crawled across the floor to them. "No, no, no don't eat that. Dude, it's plastic."

James's tiny face held a look of complete bewilderment, which fell as Puck took the Lego away from him.

Emma nervously fidgeted in the corner, watching but not really seeing. There was a tension hanging in the air that seemed to close in tight around the adults in the room.

It took Quinn a good ten seconds to realize her phone was buzzing in her pocket and she excused into the hallway.

"Hello?"

There was a pause. "Quinn?"

"Will! Thank god, are you all right? Where are you?"

Another pause. "I'm outside."

"Excuse me?" Quinn's pulse pounded in her ears. "You mean you aren't in the emergency room, bleeding from the head, with your arms in splints, because that is the only plausible reason I can come up with for why you won't answer your goddamn phone!" Inwardly, she crossed herself. While her 'holier than thou' complex faded with her first bout of morning sickness, she still felt guilty when it came to taking the Lord's name in vain. Old habits die hard. She pointed threateningly at phone, even though he couldn't see her. "Stay right there."

Quinn slammed the phone shut and pulled Puck out of the living room and into the hall. "If Emma asks where I am, tell her I went for a walk."

Puck raised his eyebrow. "Where are you really going?"

"Nowhere." Puck snorted. "Nowhere far."

"Mr. Schue stepped in it this time, didn't he."

Quinn was quick to take up the defensive, despite the overwhelming anger that caused the vein in her forehead to pulsate. "No more so than you did."

The smirk fell from his face. Quinn threw her coat on and opened the door, but Puck's voice stopped her.

"I'll be here if you need me."

She nodded and slammed the door behind her. Jogging down the pathway, she saw his silhouette outlined by the lamppost at the end of the block. He rose from the curb as she approached him, rubbing his hands on his pants. She marched up and, without so much as a hello, slapped him hard across the face.

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

Will rubbed his cheek but said nothing.

"Did you miss the thirty messages we left you or did you casually ignore them? Your pregnant wife is in there having a panic attack and you don't have a care in the world! I mean how could you possibly think that - "

"She's pregnant?"

Quinn finally looked up from her tirade to see that all of the blood had drained from Will's face. Quinn rubbed her temples. Spilling Emma's secret had definitely not been part of the plan.

"Yes. She's pregnant. She was going to tell you, you know, when the timing was right. Now was definitely not the right time."

Will slumped back down on the curb. "Oh my god."

After watching him collapse, completely depleted, Quinn backpedaled and attempted to reign in the rage. She sighed deeply and sat on the curb next to him, letting him process the information for a minute before the word she had been struggling to hold in came tumbling out.

"Why?"

"Please start with a simpler question." His voice was flat, almost vacant.

"Are you all right?"

He made a noise, somewhere between a snort and a scoff.

"Fine then. I'm out of questions."

"I'm all right."

"Clearly."

Will closed his eyes, as if in pain and bowed his head. Quinn stood and brushed her pants off.

"We shouldn't keep Emma waiting. Stress isn't good for the baby." She turned to leave but Will grabbed her wrist.

"I have to talk to you."

She looked into his eyes and knew what he was going to say.

"Don't, Will."

"I need to."

"No, you don't."

"But it's not fair!"

"To whom? You, me, Puck or Kate? Because what you're doing is pretty much unfair to all of us. You don't get to do this. You don't get to go all hot and cold."

"I'm not - "

"You made a promise."

"I know I did!" Will still held tight to her wrist. "But you need to give him a chance. He's her…" He trailed off and swallowed hard. A tear rolled down Quinn's cheek. "You can't stand there and tell me he doesn't deserve that much."

Quinn had no answer for him. The tears continued to roll down her cheeks and she turned her hand to hold tight to his.

No matter how deeply he inhaled, he couldn't keep the shake from his voice. "You think I haven't thought about him everyday since I found you outside of McKinley High? You think that guilt hasn't been eating away at me every time I look at his daughter?"

"_Your_ daughter."

"Maybe it would be best if - "

"Don't say it. Don't you dare…"

"…If I backed off from your life a bit."

Quinn stood shivering in the cold, watching the steam puff out of her mouth in short, rapid bursts. She pulled her hand away.

"Goddamn you, Will."

He nodded as if in resignation and kept his eyes on the asphalt.

"She's your daughter. You can't just… abandon her."

Will abruptly stood up. "I'm not abandoning her! I'll always be there, but Puck is - "

"What? What is Puck?" She was sick of hearing his name in this conversation. "You think that because he shared two meals and a car ride with her, that makes him a father? He didn't build her crib, or go to Lamaze class, or hold my hair while I was throwing up. He didn't even hold my hand as I delivered her."

Quinn watched as Will's eyes glazed over, most likely playing the memories over and over, like a movie in his head.

"Have you even thought this through? What about her? What are you going to tell her? She calls you 'Daddy.' You think that three year old is going to stop just because you're having a crisis of conscience?"

"I don't want her to stop." Tears welled up in his eyes and he took a step toward her. "It's the best sound in the world."

Quinn bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. "Just think long and hard about what you're asking. Because Kate is not the only daughter you're abandoning." She turned and headed back toward the house. "I'll tell Emma you'll be home in five minutes. You had car trouble and your phone died. You called from the repair shop."

She didn't even bother turning to make sure he heard her.

"Don't be long. Your dinner's getting cold."

XXXXXXXX

_The halls of McKinley High had never looked so dark or so long. Quinn shifted the bag on her shoulder and held the baby tighter against her chest. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn't make her feet step one foot in front of the other. _

_She stared down the hallway, looking for any movement or shadow. He promised he would be there. He swore that she wouldn't have to do it alone. Just as she was about to admit herself a coward and turn back, she heard a door open on the far end of the hall and footsteps come jogging toward her. _

"_Sorry I'm late." He smiled and immediately her anxiety melted away. _

"_S'okay." She let him take the diaper bag from her as he ushered her down the hall.  
_

"_You ready for this?"_

_Quinn laughed a laugh devoid of humor. "As ready as I'll ever be."_

_Will stopped them before they reached the familiar doorway. "We don't have to do this now."_

"_Yeah, we do." Quinn stared at the door and shifted the baby again. "Because if I don't do it now, I'll never do it." _

"_And neither of us want that, now do we." He smiled at her and again her fear evaporated. "Remember, I'm right here."_

"_I know. You always are." _

_He gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he opened the door. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the newest member of New Directions." _

XXXXXXXXX

Quinn paced back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, her eye never leaving the front door. She gently nibbled on her fingernail and let her gaze wander to Emma who had taken up scrubbing the kitchen counters again.

"He said he'd be home soon?"

Quinn felt something akin to guilt settle in the pit of her stomach. "That's what he said. He only had time for a short call. You know, pay phone and all… He should be here any minute."

Emma nodded and scrubbed harder. Kate came wandering into the hallway and latched onto her mother's leg.

"Hey, Munchkin. It's almost bed time."

Kate buried her head into Quinn's thigh. "No, Daddy hasn't read to me yet."

Quinn looked up at Puck as he leaned against the doorway, an internal debate raging within her. Throwing one last look at the front door she placed her hand on her daughter's head. "Maybe Uncle Puck can read to you."

"But it's Daddy's job."

Quinn refused to look at Puck's face. She could only imagine what it held and she could imagine quite a lot. "Well, maybe Uncle Puck could fill in. Just for tonight."

Kate stifled a yawn and wearily nodded. "Okay. Just for tonight."

Quinn picked Kate up and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Okay, then you better get your jammies on and show Uncle Puck which book it is."

Kate hurried into the bedroom, he pink bow bobbing after her. Quinn finally let her gaze rest on Puck.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked you first if that was okay."

"It's fine." Puck offered up a small smile and watched as Kate wrestled with her sweater in the bedroom. "Does she always stay here?"

"No, it varies. Most weekdays, she stays at my place, except for nights like this. Weekends, it's fair game. She stays wherever she wants to. She has a bedroom at both places."

"Lucky girl."

"Yeah… she is. Well, you better not keep her waiting. Unfortunately, she inherited my impatience."

Puck shot her a smile. "Anything inherited from you is not unfortunate." He wandered into the bedroom and laughed as the little girl managed to get her head stuck in her sleeve. "Squirt, how the hel – how on earth did you manage that?"

"I dunno," came her muffled reply.

Quinn watched as Puck helped her out of the sweater and into her pink footy pajamas. They snuggled into her bed and Kate handed him "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Two minutes later, Quinn heard the front door open and before she could blink, Emma had run from the kitchen and thrown herself into Will's arms.

"Baby, it's okay," she heard him murmur. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Are you all right?" Her voice was muffled against his shirt.

"I'm all right." He glanced up at Quinn. "Car trouble."

Emma pulled away and smacked his chest. "Don't do that again."

He kissed her temple. "Promise."

Quinn had the desire to smack him upside the head as well, but he'd already been hit twice tonight. Three just seemed like overkill.

Puck cleared his throat, causing Emma to pull away and wipe the tears from her eyes. Will's arm never left her waist, though.

"Sorry to interrupt. Good to see you, Mr. Schue."

"Will."

"Whatever. The squirt passed out before we even finished the page. I don't think she really wanted to finish it without you anyway."

Will nodded. "Thanks for bringing her home."

"Anytime." Puck headed towards the door and smiled at Quinn on the way out. "See ya later, Blondie."

He closed the door without another word, leaving the three adults standing around in awkward silence.

"I should get her home. All her stuff is at my place."

"I'll help you." Will finally let go of Emma and headed toward Kate's bedroom, Quinn following closely behind. He stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at the little girl in the bed. Her dark hair was strewn across the pillow and her arm was tucked around Bear. He stepped forward and carefully peeled the covers away from her tiny body and brushed her hair out of her face. Sliding one hand under her head and the other under her bottom, like he did when she was a baby, he hoisted her up and held her to his chest.

"Can you get the door?"

Quinn could only nod in response. No one was as meticulous as Will was when it came to caring for her daughter. Even she could admit to being occasionally lax. Of course, she was still learning, but Will seemed to be a born parent. She surmised that's probably what made him such a great teacher.

Leading the way to the door, she watched as he grabbed his coat and draped it over the sleeping girl in his arms, making sure she was safe from the cold. He planted a kiss on his wife's cheek and murmured, "Be right back" as he followed Quinn out the front door.

The walk to her apartment was short and chilly, a feeling that had absolutely nothing to do with the weather.

Will cleared his throat. "Emma doesn't need to know what happened tonight."

Quinn nodded her head. "Of course."

Kate shifted in Will's arms, lifting her head and putting it on his other shoulder. He stopped walking until she was fully settled and he tucked the coat around her again.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"You missed Pooh-bear."

"I know, sweetie." He kissed her head. "We'll do Pooh-bear tomorrow." She buried her face in Will's neck and promptly fell back sleep.

Quinn stared at him. "How can you want to give that up?"

Will stopped and looked back at her. "What?"

Quinn gestured to his arms. "What you just did: how can you want to give that up?"

"I don't want to give it up." Will looked at her indignantly. "It's a matter of compromise."

"Fatherhood is not a negotiation."

Will sighed and tightened his grip on Kate. "Can we discuss this tomorrow? After we've slept?"

Quinn nodded and stalked past him towards the front of her apartment complex. "But pull another stunt like that and I'll have a hell of a lot more to discuss with you."

"Dually noted."

Will followed Quinn up to her apartment and waited as she unlocked the front door.

"So… Emma's really pregnant?"

The question was so out of the blue that Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, she's pregnant. Just you wait, tomorrow morning you'll be holding her hair back."

"I've had a lot of practice in that field."

Quinn gave him a warm smile as she stood aside and let him pass into the hallway. "As I recall, you're very good at it."

Will moved through the small apartment and into Kate's bedroom. Managing to free an arm, he pulled the covers back and laid her down as gently as he picked her up. Tucking the covers around her, he placed a kiss on her head and smoothed her hair back again.

"In case she forgets our conversation, remind her that I'll read to her tomorrow night."

"Will do. She gets feisty when things don't go her way."

"Yeah, reminds me of someone I know." He winked at Quinn. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I have to have a very important conversation with my wife."

Quinn smiled and kissed his cheek. "Congratulations by the way."

His face lit up with genuine happiness for the first time that evening. "Thank you."

Not wanting to put a damper on the moment, Quinn didn't bring up the other important conversation he had to have.

"Don't get lost on the way back."

He shot her one last smile before he closed the door, "I won't."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Quinn heard a loud bang against the door and the sound of keys hitting pavement, before laughter erupted on the other side. _

_She hesitantly made her way to the door, tying the robe around her t-shirt and boxers. She wasn't sure exactly when she had invested in a robe, but she could make a pretty decent guess that it was around the time Mr. Schue accidentally walked in on her getting out of the shower. She was normally so good at locking the bathroom door and the one time she forgot resulted in furious blushing from both parties for the rest of the day._

_Quinn pressed her ear against the door and heard scratching coming from the keyhole. Thoroughly confused, she swung the door causing Will to fall unceremoniously into the open entryway. His key was still held out in his hand from his apparent failure to fit it into the lock. _

_He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes and a goofy grin and held up the offending piece of metal. "Quinn, someone broke my key. It doesn't work."_

"_Mr. Schue?"_

"_Or maybe the door is broken…"_

"_Mr. Schue, have you been drinking?"_

"… _Something is definitely broken here." _

_Quinn placed her hands on her hips, hearing the slur of his words._

"_Will, are you drunk?" _

_He scoffed. "Nooo. Okay maybe a little, but look at my key! It doesn't work!" He held it up again and waved it in front of her face. _

"_First of all, that's your car key..."_

_He held the key up close to his face, so close that his eyes crossed._

"_And secondly, you had the locks changed yesterday so your old key doesn't even work." _

"_Ohhh. That explains it. Why did I change the locks?" _

_Quinn paused, wondering if his inebriated state was the best time for this particular reminder. "The incident that happened over the weekend?" Will stared at her blankly. "With Terri?"_

_She knew he remembered when a shadow passed over his face. Terri had used her old key to sneak in and attempt to talk to Will. Will wasn't home at the time and apparently, Terri was not aware of the new living situation. _

_Once again, Quinn looked at the car key in his hand. "Wait, did you drive here?"_

_He shook his head and then swayed. "Whoa. It's spinning."_

_Quinn rolled her eyes and hoisted him to his feet. "Leave it to you to drink on a school night."_

"_It was faculty poker night." _

_She threw his arm over her shoulder and dragged him into the living room. "Did you win anything?" _

"_Nah." _

"_Did you lose anything?"_

"_Maybe." _

_She dropped him as gently as she could on the couch. "So I guess a new TV is out of the budget." _

"_Poker was never my strong suit."_

_She unloosened his tied and pulled it from around his neck. "Neither was drinking." _

"_Well, Ken Tanaka challenged me to a drinking contest. Something about winning back his pride." _

_Quinn paused in untying his shoes. "Uh oh. Please tell me you didn't..." _

"_I was holding my own for a while. But he's a big man." _

_Quinn couldn't help but laugh as she tugged his shoes off his feet. "I'm going to get you some water. Stay here. And be quiet, the baby's asleep." _

_Quinn padded to the kitchen and pulled a glass out of the cabinet. Returning to the living room with three aspirin in hand, she found that Will was no longer on the couch. She glanced around and figured there was really only one place he would go. She headed towards the spare room and placed a hand on his back as he stood in the doorway. He took the proffered water and gulped the pills down in one swig. She watched him watch Kate. _

"_I lied when I said I didn't remember why I changed the locks."_

"_I know you did." _

"_Sometimes it's just easier that way." _

_They were silent for a few moments before Quinn gently nudged him. "Come on, drunkard, let's get you to bed." She lightly pulled on his arm and he stumbled into her, laughing. She shushed him as she led him into his bedroom and pushed him into bed.  
_

"_You're going to regret that contest tomorrow."_

"_I regret a lot of things." Quinn had been halfway to the door but the pain in his voice stopped her. She edged back towards the bed and asked the question whose answer she didn't really want to know. _

"_Do you regret me?" _

_He turned his head and looked at her with lucid eyes. "I could never regret you." _

XXXXXXXXXX

Quinn stared at the little girl asleep in her pink bed. She looked everything like the father who left and nothing like the one that mattered.


	4. Sweet Hereafter

There were few things Quinn took comfort in these days. Watching her daughter sleep was one of them. Between finals and day care and homework, Quinn watched Kate to keep her sanity. She watched her to remind herself why she was spreading herself so thin and tonight, she watched her sleep well into the early hours of the morning. As the nightlight's shadow grew fainter and fainter with the rising sun, Quinn peeled herself out of the rocking chair and collapsed into her bed, not even bothering to change into pajamas.

The cell phone rattled against the nightstand and she blindly reached for it, knocking off the alarm clock and a picture of Will and Kate at Kate's first birthday. Both were covered in icing.

Flipping the phone open, she pressed the cold metal against her ear. "M'llo?"

"It's me." Will's voice sounded entirely too loud in the early morning silence.

Quinn squinted one eye open and glanced at the clock. "Shit."

"Good morning to you too."

"Not you." Quinn groaned and pushed herself up into a seated position. "What's wrong?"

She heard some shuffling and Will said, "Sorry, Quinn, hang on a sec." His voice grew distant and she heard him holler into the background, "Be right there, baby. Just hang in there." He cleared his throat and returned to their conversation. "Sorry about that. Emma's… not feeling well this morning."

Even in her early-morning delirium, Quinn grinned. "Told you you'd be holding her hair back. How did that important conversation go?"

Will chuckled, "Beautifully."

"Is she mad that I spilled the beans?"

"Not at all. Listen, because she's getting up close and personal with the toilet at the moment, would you mind dropping Kate off before you go to class? I don't think I can pick her up."

Quinn yawned loudly and nodded.

"Quinn?"

She quickly realized that Will couldn't actually see her nodding her head. "Sorry, yeah. That's fine. I'll get her ready and bring her over."

"Thanks. Crap I gotta go." Will hung up before Quinn could respond. She tossed the phone onto the nightstand, threw the covers back, and padded into Kate's room to begin the day.

Forty-five minutes and three toddler outfits later, Quinn walked the short distance between her apartment and Will's, hiking Kate higher up on her hip and tugging the hood lower over her dark hair. The wind picked up and she jogged the rest of the way to the door throwing it open and slamming it shut behind her.

"Hello?" She put Kate on the ground and brushed her wind-whipped hair out of her face. Will popped his head into the hallway from the kitchen and he gave her a tired smile.

"Hey."

"Early morning?"

"You have no idea." Will walked toward her bouncing James in his arms and James held tight to the tie hanging loosely around his father's neck.

"Hi Daddy." Kate latched onto Will's leg since his arms were occupied.

"Hey, baby."

Quinn placed a kiss on James's forehead. "Is Emma in bed?"

"Yeah, she's taking a sick day."

An odd silence fell over them. It wasn't awkward – they had moved beyond awkward, but it wasn't pleasant either. Something was off and Quinn knew that they both felt it. Will was overly preoccupied with the way James's hair fell on his forehead and Quinn stared at the way Kate's tiny arms wrapped around Will's leg.

"Listen, I'm sorry about last night."

Will's head snapped up. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."

"For slapping you."

Will grinned and rubbed his cheek. "You had every right to do so."

"Momma, you slapped Daddy?"

Both Will and Quinn froze and stared at each other. They were still learning the hazards of speaking plainly in front of a three-year-old.

"Um, it was an accident, sweetie." Quinn ran her hand through Kate's hair.

"Yeah, Momma didn't mean to do it." Will tilted Kate's chin up and smiled at her.

"Okay." Kate played with the sock on James's foot, crisis averted.

Quinn raised her eyebrows at Will and gave him a look that read, _That was close._ She handed him the little pink backpack.

"I packed her lunch, but we ran out of Goldfish."

"We've got them."

"I have class until 12:30, so I'll pick up Kate and then come check on Emma."

"Thanks I appreciate it." Will chuckled as James reached up and grabbed his nose. "You better get going."

Quinn nodded and held her arms out for Kate. "Bye, munchkin. Give me a kiss." Kate let go of Will and hugged her mother.

Quinn straightened and looked at Will. "We still need to talk."

Will nodded and sighed, his shoulders rising and falling in resignation. At least he wasn't putting up a fight. Quinn was grateful for that. Both knew to some degree that Puck would return to their lives in some form. Will continued to teach him until he graduated, Quinn passed him in the hallways with her head bowed and eyes averted, and Emma ran into him in the grocery store. She had tried in the year after Kate's birth to get Puck to talk to her, but to no avail. Meeting with the guidance counselor in a glass room where prying eyes could view him was not something Puck wanted to do and he informed Emma of this fact quite clearly.

Will had kept his eyes on his son as the baby continued to grab at his face. Quinn watched as he pressed a soft kiss on James's head and inhaled the scent of his hair. Again, he spoke without looking at her.

"I have office hours from 2:45 until 4:00. If you want to drop by then."

Quinn nodded, "Will do." She kissed Kate again and turned to leave, but she stopped when she reached the door, her hand pausing on the knob. The thought of their impending conversation caused her heart to race and her breath to come in short, quick gasps. She didn't know what she feared. Losing him? He had become such a crutch in her life that the thought of him being anything other than what he was now terrified her. She abruptly turned and dropped her bag, walking the two shorts steps and wrapping her arms around Will.

"Whoa there," he whispered in her ear as she gripped him tighter. "You okay?"

She nodded against his chest.

"Really? Because you don't seem okay." Will rubbed his one free arm up and down her back and pressed a kiss to her head. "Everything's fine, Quinn. You're okay."

And that was what she needed to hear. He didn't need to know what was wrong. He comforted her anyway. And with those five words, she let go, gave him a tight smile and threw her bag over her shoulder again.

"See you at 3:00."

And then she was gone.

XXXXXXXXX

_Quinn adjusted the bag on her shoulder as she stared at the open door in front of her. The light from inside illuminated a strip of linoleum on the music room floor and she stared at it for a moment, hypnotized. She heard a cough and a shuffle of paper from inside the room, effectively breaking her out of her trance. Walking the final two steps, she raised her hand and knocked on the doorframe. _

_Will looked up from his paperwork and gave her a smile. "Hi there." _

"_Hey." She inched into the room and peeked into the bassinet that stood next to Will's desk. "How is she?"_

_Will looked over at the pink bundle. "Sound asleep since 11:00." _

_Kate was a little over nine months and Quinn had been hesitant about giving her up to daycare just yet. Besides, it was Lima, Ohio. There weren't that many reputable places around to trust her daughter to._

_Will must have sensed her dilemma as she bit down on her lip and played with her necklace. _

"_For the last time, I really don't mind having her here. She's good company."_

"_Except for when she screams." _

"_And that's when I pawn her off on Emma." _

_The mention of Emma caused the brick in the middle of Quinn's stomach to double in size. Will narrowed his eyes, studying her. Quinn fidgeted under his gaze. _

"_Sit down. Talk."_

"_What?" The command caught Quinn off guard. "Talk about what?"_

_He dropped his red pen and leaned back in the chair. "Whatever is it that has you so… guilty." _

"_I'm not guilty." _

"_I never said you _were_ guilty, but you _look_ guilty. You have that look in your eye. The looks that says, I really need to talk about something but I don't think it's a good idea." _

_Quinn slumped in the chair across from his desk. "Thank god I moved out. You know me too well." _

"_What's wrong?" Will leaned forward, steepling his fingers and resting his chin on them. Quinn shrugged and shook her head. "Don't do that. You know I'll get it out of you somehow." _

_And he always did. No matter how firmly Quinn set her resolve, Will always found a way to figure out what was wrong with her. _

"_Is it Emma?" _Right again.

"_I'm so ashamed." _

"_What? Why?"_

"_Because I'm… " The words were there. She just had to say them. "… jealous. And scared." _

_Will sighed deeply, walked around the desk, and leaned against it. "Quinn, look at me." When she didn't, he placed a finger under her chin and raised her face to meet his._

"_You have absolutely nothing to be jealous of. Nothing. You hear me?" Quinn nodded. "Emma being pregnant isn't going to change anything." _

"_Yes it will. You think it won't now, but that new baby will change everything." _

_Quinn might have been a mother and a strong-willed, stubborn person, but she was also just a girl_. _And sometimes being young and frightened meant giving into the fears you knew wouldn't actually come to fruition. No one thinks that something is truly living under their bed but that doesn't prevent them from checking just in case. _

"_Is that what you're scared of? Things changing?" _

_Quinn swallowed hard. "I'm scared it'll be a girl." She inhaled deeply. "And that you'll love her more than you love Kate." _

_Will crouched down so they were eye to eye. "Do you really think so little of me? Quinn, I already have two daughters whom I love equally and unconditionally. One more won't rock the boat." _

_Quinn had always felt like his daughter, even acted like his daughter, but she had never actually been called his daughter. And that one word sent her into Will's arms in a spluttering, crying heap. _

"_Hey, hey." He stroked her back as she attempted to keep her sobs to quiet hiccups. Neither of them wanted to wake the baby. "Have you been worrying about this all week?" _

_Quinn nodded against his chest. Will gently took her shoulders and leaned her away from him so he could look her in the eye. _

"_Honey, you're supposed to talk to me about these things." He rubbed the tears away with his thumbs. "You, Emma, and Kate are the three most important people in my life. Just because we're adding one more doesn't mean that I'll love you any less. And I do love you, Quinn. I know I don't say that enough, but… I do."_

_Quinn's throat was too tight to reply, so she simply nodded and eventually squeaked out a "Love you, too." _

_Will wordlessly handed her a box of tissues and she blew her nose as quietly as possible. "I got makeup on your shirt again."_

"_It's okay, Kate's done far worse."_

"_I'm sorry about all this. I just - ." _

"_Don't worry about it." He gave her that smile that completely put her at ease, silencing any more words on the subject. "And who knows? Maybe it'll be a boy and you'll be off the hook." _

_Quinn's laughter rang out in the office and Kate jumped awake in her crib. _

"_Crap." _

_Will laughed, "Now you've done it." He reached into the crib and scooped Kate up against his chest, before she could really begin to wail._

_Quinn wiped her eyes and reached out towards them. "Do you want me to take her? I have a free period." _

"_Nah, I need all the practice I can get." He gently bounced Kate in his arms and hummed a tune into her tiny ear. _

_Quinn watched him rock her daughter back to sleep for the remainder of her free period, her fear utterly forgotten by the time he reached the final stanza. _

"_You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." _

XXXXXXXXXXXX

There was nothing Quinn hated more than the daily preschool pickup.

She stood there, amidst the gaggle of thirtysomething moms that gathered, waiting for their children. They talked of husbands, and new cars, and old jobs and other "adult" things, while their shiny wedding rings glinted annoyingly in the afternoon sun.

Quinn stood off to the side, out of place and out of mind as she listened to their conversations. She wondered if Will ever felt as alienated here as she did. Sure, he was more "age-appropriate." He was charming and easy-going, a real conversation starter. She wondered if the bored stay-at-home moms hit on him before noticing his wedding band. She wondered how many hit on him in spite of it.

She smoothed her hair away from her face and attempted to look older than her 19 years. No matter what she did, though, she knew they talked about her anyway. She occasionally caught snippets of hushed conversations, which she tried to ignore yet listened to anyway. It didn't matter how much it hurt.

"_Poor girl… threw her life away… affair with her teacher."_

And on it went. She glanced at her watch and tapped her foot, waiting for the doors to open and the stream of children to run out.

Three minutes later, the air was filled with laughter and screaming. She stood on her tiptoes, trying to make out her daughter in the sea of three and four-year-olds.

"Kate?"

"Momma!" Kate bounced over to Quinn and grabbed her hand showing her the picture she painted in craft-time.

"It's beautiful, munchkin. I'll put it on the refrigerator next to the others."

Quinn took her daughter's hand and ignored that looks that the other mothers sent her way. She guided Kate towards the car and strapped her into her car seat as Kate chattered on about the mean boy she pushed because he pulled her hair.

"That's my girl."

The drive to Will and Emma's house was uneventful. Kate was tuckered out from regaling her mother with the tale of the ferocious playground battle and her head nodded from side to side with every turn the car made.

Quinn carefully lifted Kate out of the car seat and carried her into Will and Emma's house.

"Momma, can I have some animal crackers?"

Quinn dropped the keys on the side table and tiptoed into the living room. "We'll see if Daddy and Mommy have some."

The apartment was unusually quiet. "Emma?"

"In here!" Came the reply from the bathroom.

"Oh Em, you aren't still stick are you?"

Emma poked her head out of bathroom, her hair hidden under a yellow bandana and plastic gloves covering her arms from fingertip to elbow. "Nope, much better. I'm just… cleaning."

Quinn remembered all too well how Emma felt about throwing up. When she was pregnant with James, no one could use the bathroom for up to two hours after Emma finished her morning sickness so she could properly decontaminate the toilet. When they were still in their one-bathroom only apartment, Will had resorted to showering in Quinn's place just so he could get to work on time.

"Well I'm glad you're better. I promised Will I'd check on you."

Emma dove back into the bathroom. "I'll just be a minute. James is napping but help yourself to anything."

Kate rushed forward and tugged on Emma's shirt. "Animal crackers?"

Emma kissed her on the head, keeping her rubber-coated arms away from the girl. "In the cabinet to the right of the stove."

"Yay!" Kate ran into the kitchen leaving Quinn to catch up.

Fifteen minute and one bleach bottle later, Emma emerged from the spotless bathroom pulling the gloves off her hands the bandana out of her hair. "Much better."

Quinn handed her a glass of water and they sat on the couch as Kate spent less time eating her animal crackers and more time setting up an animal fort on the carpet.

A picture in the far corner caught Quinn's eye. "Where's this from?" She picked it up and showed it to Emma.

Emma squinted as she tried to remember the occasion. "That was when you were gone for senior week. I found it in a box over the weekend and decided it was too cute not to display. Will's slightly horrified that it's been made public."

Quinn laughed and stared down at the picture. A six-month-old James was nestled in the crook of Will's left arm and a two-year-old Kate was sitting in his lap, attempting to smear what could only be lipstick all over his face.

"Looks like this is one fight he lost."

Emma grinned. "Well, he'd do anything for that girl. Even wear lipstick."

Quinn remembered senior week all too well. She had sent her parents a graduation invitation at Will's urging even though she didn't expect them to show. Sure enough, the ceremony rolled around and they were nowhere in sight. She saw Will and Emma standing proudly next to Finn who had Kate on his giant shoulders. Even from a hundred yards away, Quinn could hear Kate squealing with delight at being so high up. When her name was called, they cat-called and whistled and waved.

She had decided she wouldn't go to senior week. She felt guilty about leaving Kate with Will and Emma while she went off and partied. But Will informed her that she needed to be a teenager every now and then. And what had happened that day sealed the deal for her…

XXXXXXXXX

_The front door opened and laughter trickled in through the hallway. Will entered the house first carrying a sleeping James and Finn entered just behind him, Kate's head drooping on his shoulder. _

_  
"I think the kids had enough fun for one day." Will and Finn took their respective children to the nursery, dropping Kate in her bed and James in his crib. _

_Quinn stood around the island in the kitchen and pulled the pins out of her hair that secured the graduation cap in place. _

"_Is Rachel coming later?" Emma asked, her head in the refrigerator. _

"_Yeah, She said she'd stop by after she had dinner with her Dads." Finn accepted the beer Will offered him. _

"_Wow, Mr. Schue. I never thought you'd be one for underage drinking."_

"_Well, as of an hour ago, neither of you is my student anymore. And what the hell, it's a special occasion. If you have too many, though, you're crashing on the couch." _

_Finn smiled as he took a swig. "Yes, sir." _

_Emma emerged, champagne bottle in hand as Will flipped through the mail. _

"_Quinn, it looks like my parents sent you a graduation card." Will handed her the light blue envelope. _

"_They didn't have to do that." Quinn smiled and read the sweet note they'd written, her jaw dropping at the check they enclosed. "They _really_ didn't have to do that." _

_Will handed her a champagne glass. "They wanted to." He raised his own and clinked it against hers. "A toast to the graduate! Quinn, we are so happy you came into our lives. Congratulations." _

_He placed a kiss on her cheek and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Clearing her throat, she managed a "Thank you" before swallowing back the rest of the tears with another sip of champagne. _

"_Oh there's something else for you." Will handed her another envelope. This one was stark white and stiff. _

_One look at the return address and she excused herself into the bedroom, feeling their eyes on her back as she left. She should have offered some sort of explanation for the abrupt departure, but reading her old address in the top left hand corner of page ignited something in her: a combination of fear, rage, and hope. _

_She ripped open the envelope and let the enclosed papers flutter to the floor. She didn't bother picking them up. She knew what they were. She stared at them for god knows how long, vaguely registering Finn's laugh in the kitchen and the cork of another champagne bottle being popped. A tear splashed on her folded hands._

_Enough time had clearly passed that people had begun to worry. After a light knock on the door, Will stuck his head in.  
_

"_Hey there. Everything all right?"_

_Quinn nodded. _

"_Liar." He entered the room and sat down next to her on the bed. "What's the story, morning glory?"_

_She couldn't help but smile. He had a way of doing that. She reached down and scooped the papers up from the floor, handing them to him in one giant heap. She made sure the envelope was on top. _

_He read the return address and looked up at her, surprised. "From your parents?" _

_She nodded again and watched him flip through the contents: Birth certificate, social security card, pre-school art, elementary school report cards, high school newspaper clippings. Will flipped through her life on paper, his movements getting harsher and harsher the more he viewed. _

_Quinn had known it for a while, but this was the final nail in the proverbial coffin. Her parents were erasing her from their lives by giving back everything she had ever touched. The final piece of paper Will came to was the graduation invitation. _

_He stood without a word, the papers falling from his lap to the floor. _

"_Will…" _

_Without a glance in her direction, he yanked the door open, Quinn at his heels. She watched as he grabbed the keys off the side table and left the house with a slam of the door. _

_Emma came into the hallway. "What was that about?" _

_Quinn wasn't entirely sure. _

_Will returned an hour later, breathing heavily, eyes red. Everyone, Finn and Rachel included, watched as he moved from the front door the guest bedroom, returning moments later with a handful of papers, which he carefully stacked. _

"_Emma? These are going in the safe-deposit box with ours." He held up the birth certificate and social security card._

"_You can toss the rest, Will." Quinn looked up at him from her spot on the couch. "I don't need them." _

_Will looked at her with a simple expression that managed to convey so much. "But I do." And with that, he disappeared into the bedroom, taking the papers with him. _

_The next day, one of her old drawings was hanging on the refrigerator next to Kate's. She would have cried if she hadn't been laughing so hard at her failed attempt at "art." _

_Emma later told her that Will had gone to her parents' house that night. Though, what was said between them, not even she knew. _

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Quinn placed the picture back in its rightful place and slumped down next to Emma again.

"I'm so sorry I told him."

Emma stroked her hair. "Don't worry about it. He was going to find out eventually. I'm pretty sure the constant vomiting from 3am on would have tipped him off." Quinn felt Emma shudder at the memory.

"I have to talk to him today. We made an appointment."

"I know. He told me. I don't think he slept at all last night."

Quinn took comfort in the fact that he was dreading the conversation as much as she was. She needed to get it through his thick skull that he wasn't going anywhere and neither was she, no matter how many ex-boyfriend baby daddies came into the picture.

"He's being paranoid."

Quinn's head rose and fell on Emma's shoulder as the older woman inhaled and exhaled. "But I get where he's coming from. Remember when I told you last night that Will's had Puck's number since before Emma was born?"

"Yeah…" Quinn lifted her head off Emma's shoulder and looked at her.

"He keeps it in his wallet, behind his drivers license. He put it there the day after he picked you up at McKinley."

"What?" Quinn sat up much straighter.

"He wanted to have it in case you changed your mind about the living arrangements. He didn't ever want you to feel like you had nowhere to go. I guess Puck was his backup plan."

"Oh." Quinn couldn't believe that Will carried around Puck's number for the better part of four years just in case _she_ changed her mind.

"I don't deserve everything he's done for me."

"Yes you do. Everybody deserves some good in their lives."

Quinn watched Kate "rawr" as she played with a lion shaped animal cracker.

"He said he wants to 'back off' from our lives a bit." Quinn used air quotations to stress how ridiculous she thought Will's request was. "You don't… you don't really think he means it, do you?"

Emma sighed and sat forward. Quinn called that going into "guidance counselor mode."

"I think he means it if you want him to mean it. I can only speculate, though. He's been unusually quiet about it."

"It' being Puck."

"Yes. But I know that he only wants to do what's best for you."

"Shockingly, I know what's best for me better than he does."

Emma laughed. "Yes, well he's stubborn. You both are."

Quinn smiled, as she did any time she was compared to Will. She took comfort in their similarities. Some they came to separately, and others were developed over time simply by proximity. Like the way she started cutting her sandwiches diagonally instead of top to bottom or how she started drinking her coffee black instead of with milk. Even the way she held the steering wheel or flipped a pancake, she picked up from Will.

Quinn listened to Kate hum a Beatles song Will taught her earlier that week. "You don't mind watching her while I'm gone?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

Quinn put her hand to her stomach to quell the butterflies that seemed to be ricocheting off her internal organs.

"You'll be fine. You both will."

Quinn managed a smile for Emma and looked at Kate as she built her own personal Noah's Ark on the carpet. "Bye, munchkin. Give me a kiss."

Kate stood up to kiss her mother on the cheek. "Bye, Momma."

Quinn grabbed her bag and keys and stepped out into the crisp autumn air.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Quinn vaguely registered Rachel taking her phone and scrolling through her contact list. She looked around the room and noticed that it took her eyes a second to catch up to the movements of her head._

"_Rachel, I think I'm drunk." _

"_I think I am too." _

"_What was in that punch?"_

"_I don't know. Kurt made it." _

"_Oh." Quinn held her head to prevent the room from spinning and started giggling when she realized she was seeing two Finns instead of just one._

_Finn had apparently also had a lot of drink because, for no reason whatsoever, he started laughing right along with her. _

"_Mr. Schue?"_

_Quinn's head snapped in Rachel's direction, a choice she regretted later when she got the spins so hard, she fell down. _

"_Yes, it's Rachel Berry. Listen I'm so sorry to be calling you this late… No everything's fine…" Rachel looked over at Quinn as she tried to get up and fell down again. "Well, everything's almost fine. We're at Finn's house. I think you need to come get Quinn." _

_Rachel hung up the phone and put it in Quinn's bag. _

"_I'm in trouble now." _

_Rachel shrugged and combed through her hair. "He sounded concerned, not upset." _

"_Still…" Quinn never completed her sentence. _

"_Hey, Blondie." Puck tapped Quinn on the shoulder and she swung around. _

"_Don't even think about it, Puckerman. This is how this whole mess started." _

_Puck held his hands up in mock surrender and backed away slowly. "Just wanted to say hi." _

"_Well…" Quinn swayed. "Hello then." _

_Rachel, though tipsy, was significantly more sober than Quinn and most of the other people at the party. When Quinn asked Will to watch Kate for the night so she and the Glee club could celebrate their victory, he of course complied. _

_But then Kurt made punch and it was all downhill from there. _

_The doorbell rang ten minutes later and Finn opened up to reveal a bleary eyed Will Schuester on the other side. _

"_Mr. Schue!" Finn's shout was heard above the party din and soon the entire glee club was chanting his name: "Mis-ter Schue! Mis-ter Schue!" _

_He calmed them down and moved into the living room where Quinn and Kurt were giggling on the couch. Upon seeing Mr. Schue, Rachel hopped up from the ottoman she was sitting on and promptly tripped over an empty bottle, flying headlong into Will's chest. _

"_Whoa there, Rach. Easy." _

"_I'm fine, Mr. Schue. Really." Rachel nodded her head vigorously. A little too vigorously. _

"_Quinn, I'm happy to see you're enjoying the party." He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a seated position. As soon as he let go, she fell back onto the couch. _

_He stood up and sighed, glancing around the room at his drunken students. He put his fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. The party quieted down instantly._

"_Who here has car keys?" _

_Six hands shot into the air. _

"_Give them to me." Will held out his hand. "You're all clearly spending the night here, unless someone sober is willing to pick you up. I'll return the keys to you first thing tomorrow morning." _

_There was some grumbling but Puck, Santana, Kurt, Tina, Rachel, and Matt all came forward and dropped their keys into Will's open palm. _

_Will turned back to the couch and pulled Quinn up and over his shoulder. "Up we go. Congratulations again, guys. I will see your bright, shining, hungover faces tomorrow."_

_And with that, Will walked out of Finn's house, Quinn slung over his shoulder like a duffle bag. _

"_I can walk, Will." _

_Will laughed. "Prove it." He set her down on the ground, willing to let her attempt the ten steps it would take to get to the car. She took one and fell back into him. _

"_Right." He picked her up again and leaned her against the car as he fished his keys from his pocket. After depositing her in the front seat, he jogged around to the driver's side and started the car._

"_Is it really 3:47?" _

"_Yep." Will yawned as if on cue._

"_In the morning?"_

"_So it would seem." _

"_Are you mad at me?"_

"_Why would I be mad at you?"_

"_I'm drunk. And I'm seventeen. And… I'm drunk."_

_Will laughed. "No I'm not mad. Believe it or not, I was seventeen once, too. I'm just happy you called me." _

"_Rachel called you."_

"_I'm happy someone called me." _

_Quinn yawned, her giddiness dying down. "Me too." _

_He pulled into the driveway and helped Quinn out of the car. The spins had died down but her legs still refused to work. Will swept her up in his arms once again and carried her into their apartment. Setting her down on her bed, he removed her shoes and disappeared into the hallway. _

"_Quinn, wake up. Honey, wake up." She felt her face being gently tapped. _

"_M'what?" _

_Will stood over her with a glass of water. "Drink all of it." She did and he refilled it. The last thing she remembered was handing back the glass for the third time and falling back onto the bed. _

_She woke up the next morning with a debilitating headache and horrible nausea. She rolled over and threw up in the conveniently placed trashcan next to the bed. _

"_Morning, sunshine." _

_Quinn looked up to see Will rocking Kate in the chair across the room. Quinn groaned and put her hands over her eyes, blocking out the sun. _

"_I really wish you hadn't seen that." _

"_Nothing I haven't seen before." _

_Will held the bottle to Kate's mouth and she happily sucked it down. _

"_How long have you been here?" _

_Will didn't look up when he responded. "All night." _

XXXXXXXXX

As Quinn pulled into the McKinley parking lot, she wished she had a little liquid courage at that moment. She spent the car ride rehearsing the opening to this conversation but no line could quite convey all she needed it to.

She threw the car in park and stepped out beside it. The lot was almost deserted. She missed seeing Emma's familiar car ever since the guidance counselor went part time. Will's was in his usual spot in the shadow of the tree.

Taking a deep breath, Quinn marched through the doors and headed towards the music room. She idly ran her hands across the dark piano as she passed, trying anything to delay her arrival at Will's office door. Unfortunately, there were only so many things in the music room she could distract herself with and she eventually found herself knocking on his doorframe.

He looked up from his papers. "You're late."

She rolled her eyes. "By two minutes."

"Three." He smiled and gestured to the seat across from his desk.

The moment Quinn sat down, the lines she had rehearsed in the car went right out the window and she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"I don't want you to back off."

"What?"

"I don't want you to back off from our lives."

"Quinn, I don't - "

"No, let me finish."

Will closed his mouth and leaned back as Quinn's heart hammered in her chest. It was a miracle Will couldn't hear it because to Quinn, it was absolutely deafening.

"I know you want what's best for me. But sometimes you don't always have all the answers. You… are so damn protective. And I mean that in the best way possible. You…" she swallowed… "you want to protect me at the expense of your own happiness. You would sacrifice the relationship you have with me and with Kate if I said the word."

Will's eyes remained on his desk planner, neither agreeing nor refuting.

"And I'm here to tell you that I don't want that. I don't want you to leave." In her frustration to get her point across, Quinn stood and paced the room. "It's like you've been waiting for the bomb to drop, waiting for the moment when you need to whip out Puck's number." She held up her hand, silencing his question. "Yes, I know about the number in your wallet. What bothers me is that you actually thought you'd need it."

He smiled humorlessly. "When you've had the rug pulled out from under you before, you're careful about stepping back on."

"I'm not Terri."

Will flinched at her words and closed his eyes. "I know."

Quinn sighed and sat down again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. But I don't think you get just how much you mean to us. If it hadn't been for you… well, I don't know where I'd be. I probably wouldn't even have Kate."

The though of the other road her life could have taken made Quinn feel as though she had been punched in the chest. A tear slid down her face but she didn't bother wiping it off.

"Without you, Will, I would have given my baby, my girl, up for adoption. Can you imagine that?"

A tear slid down his face as well.

"I need you to understand, Will. I need you to. Puck doesn't… he hasn't..." Quinn couldn't finish her sentence and she covered her face with her hands, the pain in her chest overwhelming her. Will reached across the desk and pulled her hands away.

"Don't back off, Will. Please don't."

"I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you say so."

She slammed her hand on the desk, surprising them both. "I don't care if Puck eats dinner with us every night for the next ten years, he's not her father! She calls _you_ Daddy, plays with _your_ shirt collars, she has _your_ habits, both good and bad."

"Hey some of those bad habits she got from you."

The joke was a welcome relief for both parties.

"You remember when Kate was learning how to walk? What did you do?"

Will smiled. "I followed her around with a pillow."

"Just in case she fell down." Quinn reached across the desk and took his hand again. "You're a wonderful father. I don't tell you that enough…. Please don't leave us."

Will stood and came around the desk, taking her face in his hands. "I will never leave you." He kneeled down in front of her. "You're right, I was scared. I was scared that if Puck came back, that I would lose my daughters. But again, I didn't want to stand in the way if that's what you wanted."

"It's not what I want."

"I know. I won't leave you."

"I know."

Quinn pressed her face into his chest and he ran reassuring circles on her back. Over his shoulder, Quinn could see the picture frames that dotted his desk. One was of Kate as a baby in Quinn's arms. Another was of Emma and Will on their wedding day. Another was a shot that Quinn had snapped of Will asleep on the couch, James asleep on top of him. The final one was Kate, covered in chocolate, pressing a sloppy kiss to Will's cheek. If Will's life and priorities had to be summed up, one only had to look at his desk.

After a few minutes, Quinn leaned back and looked at him. "Give me your wallet."

Will wordlessly handed the piece of leather over. Quinn opened it up and slid the piece of paper out from behind the driver's license.

"You don't need this anymore."

And that was the end of it.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was four, Emma gave birth to a little girl. The baby was premature and as such, Will was stuck in an airport in Pittsburgh.

Quinn drove Emma to the hospital and held her hand through eight hours of labor, but nothing could match the look of relief on both of their faces when Will came flying through the doors just as Emma was being wheeled to delivery.

A week later, Emma handed Will a wrapped present. Quinn watched as he opened it and a photo frame fell into his hands. Across the top, it read: _My Three Girls_ and in the photo Quinn held baby Eliza as Kate kissed her pink-capped head.

Will stared at the picture for two minutes straight before he was able to speak again.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was seven, Will and Quinn sat her down and taught her what biological meant. And with that definition came the truth.

Kate looked at Will with something akin to heartbreak and, in that moment, Quinn swore she could hear Will's shatter.

Kate ran out of the house and Quinn went to chase her but Will held tight to her wrist.

"Let her go."

They both knew where she was going. An hour later, Quinn watched from the corner as Will slowly approached the giant, old tree in the middle of the park. She watched as he reached up and gently pulled Kate down from the lowest limb into his arms. It didn't matter that she was seven and tall for her age, he carried her all the way home, anyway.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was nine, a drunk driver ran a red light and smashed into the side of Will's car. He was unconscious for three days.

Emma slept in the hospital room while Quinn stayed home and watched James and Eliza. Despite their protestations, Kate spent all three nights sleeping in the bed next to him.

When he was finally cleared to go home, Quinn helped the kids make a banner. Kate drew "Welcome" because it was the longest word, Eliza drew "Home" (with a little help from Quinn) because it was the shortest word, and James drew "Daddy" because, as he put it, "It was the most important word."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was eleven, Quinn finally accepted Puck's proposal. Kate refused to be a flower girl, but agreed to a "Junior" bridesmaid position alongside Rachel, Emma, and Puck's sister.

Eliza walked down the aisle tossing petals in every direction. James followed shortly after, concentrating so hard on keeping the rings on the pillow that he walked diagonally into a pew.

Will paced back and forth in the vestibule while Quinn waited calmly by the entrance. And usher stuck his head in and announced it was time.

"Ready?" Will smiled at her as he handed her the bouquet.

Quinn laughed as she took it, "Are _you_?"

Will assured her he was fine, but Quinn couldn't help but notice how he gripped her hand as he walked her down the aisle.

When they got to the altar and he leaned in to kiss her cheek, she whispered "Thanks, Dad" in his ear.

Will was crying before the priest uttered a word.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was twelve, Quinn and Will sat her down and gave her the option to change her name to Puckerman if she wanted to.

She flat out refused. In not so many words.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was thirteen, Quinn gave her a little brother. Kate deemed him entertaining enough to keep around, but vowed never to change a diaper.

Quinn overheard her tell Will that it was nice to have a sibling that didn't have red hair.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was fourteen, her father became her teacher and she employed new tactics to weasel out of homework at the dinner table.

A week later, she switched to French.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was fifteen, she and Will got into their first real fight. Quinn wasn't sure how it started, but she knew how it ended.

At the height of the yelling, Kate screamed, "You're not my father!" and stormed out the door.

Will watched her go, the verbal blow too painful for a reply. He wordlessly walked into the study and closed the door behind him.

Two hours later, Kate knocked on the door and stood sniffling in the entryway. She walked over to where Will sat at his desk and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

"Me too, baby."

They both decided that fighting over curfew wasn't worth that kind of pain.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was sixteen, she got her first boyfriend. Will and Puck flipped a coin to see who got to interrogate the poor boy first.

They decided to go it together and play good cop/bad cop instead.

The boy still runs from Quinn when he sees her in the grocery store.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was seventeen, she ran away from home. Quinn was near hysterics when she opened Kate's door at 4:00am and the girl was gone. She shook Puck awake and grabbed the phone next to the bed.

She heard Will's groggy greeting on the other end of the line. "Will? She's gone. Kate's gone."

"Whoa, whoa slow down. Gone where?"

Quinn wrapped her robe around herself and flicked the lights on as she made her way downstairs. Puck followed closely behind.

"I don't know. I just checked her bed and she's not there. The window's open."

"I'll be right there."

Two minutes later, Will came flying through the door in pajama bottoms and a hoodie grabbing Quinn as she flew at him. "We have to find her, Will. I don't want her making the same mistakes I did."

Will kissed her temple. "We'll get her back."

The cops arrived by 4:30. Will and Puck patrolled the neighborhood in separate cars at 5:00.

Will later recounted the story to Quinn of how he found Kate sitting in a motel parking lot, mascara running down her cheeks, because her current flame of the month promised to meet her there. He never showed.

Will wrapped his coat around his daughter's shivering body and pulled her tight to him. He wanted so badly to be mad at her but he was just so damn relieved.

"Kate, don't ever do that to me again."

Kate sniffled and rubbed the tears away from her face. "He promised, Daddy."

Will sighed, placing his arm around her. "Katie, this is the first of many harsh life lessons, but boys break promises. All the time."

"You didn't."

"That's because I love you. And though it sometimes happens, you try not to break promises with the people you love."

"He didn't love me, did he."

"No baby, I don't think he did. Not in the way you deserve to be loved. Now, I don't know why you were meeting at a motel and frankly I don't want to know, but just… be careful. Don't settle for anything or anybody. You're so much better than that."

Kate leaned into him again. "I'm sorry."

"I know." They sat like that for a while, father and daughter shivering in the early morning air in a motel parking lot.

"What's his name?"

"No, Dad, you aren't going to beat him up."

Though Will promised not to beat him up, it didn't mean that Kate wouldn't. Quinn got a phone call from the principle the following day that her daughter sent a boy to the hospital with a broken nose and two missing teeth.

She clearly had also inherited her father's right hook.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Kate was eighteen, she moved out.

College was exciting but the east coast was far. The day Kate got her acceptance letter, Will was online looking up airfares.

Puck wrapped his arm around Quinn after she tearfully bid her daughter goodbye. Kate kissed Emma and James and Eliza and David. She hugged Puck and lovingly rubbed her hand over his still-shaven head.

Quinn watched as Kate latched onto Will and didn't let go for a good three minutes. Quinn could tell it took all of Will's strength to remove Kate's arms from around his neck and give her a slight nudge in the direction of her dorm.

"Love you."

"Love you more," she yelled over her shoulder as she trotted off to find her roommate.

When they all got back to Ohio, Quinn immediately walked up to Kate's empty room only to find that Will beat her to it. He stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets and took it all in. Quinn came up behind him and wrapped an arm around his waist as he squeezed her hand.

"Is it too early to call?"

Quinn laughed, "Yes."

He gestured to a box in the far corner. "She didn't take it."

Quinn moved forward to get a closer look and saw all of Kate's old things: Finn's blanket and Bear; old drawings and Legos; baby pictures and Will's old shirts, their collars faded and fraying.

"Maybe she figured you needed it more."

Quinn picked up the box and placed it in his arms, kissing him on the cheek and leaving him in his daughter's empty doorway.

The End


End file.
